Zweng’s ‘Toronto Tapes’ Is the Comeback Story You Didn’t Know You Needed

After a long detour through chaos, California-born indie rocker Zweng has officially hit reset—and his new album Toronto Tapes proves the journey was worth every step. Released via Precision Pressing and represented by Decent Music PR, the album is a soul-spilling mix of indie, rock, and introspective pop, packed with covers you’ll recognize and emotions you might not be ready for.

Written during a year of sobriety and self-discovery in Toronto, the album trades ego for honesty and fast fame for fearless vulnerability. Zweng covers classics from the Ramones, A-ha, and Billy Joel, but don’t expect karaoke night. His version of Pet Sematary is a chilling metaphor for relapse, and Uptown Girl becomes a critique of curated perfection in the age of Instagram. It’s familiar music, flipped upside down.

The original songs hit even harder. Marianne, written from the voice of the father Zweng’s mother never had, is quietly devastating, while Jeanette pays tribute to a grandmother he never met but always felt nearby. It’s equal parts therapy session and sonic journey—with just enough rock ‘n roll edge to keep things from getting too heavy.

Zweng’s backstory is as layered as his music: former frontman of the Coo Coo Birds, TV composer in L.A., now studying production at Abbey Road in London. But Toronto Tapes isn’t about where he’s been—it’s about what it took to come back. And in case you’re wondering, yes—there’s already more on the way.

Email