the Zincs

Jim Elkington, a displaced singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, first launched the Zincs as a solo endeavor in Chicago. The band’s sound drew deeply from his English roots, fusing the wry, windswept character of British folk with the matching despondency of the American Midwest. After performing with the British groups Elevate and Sophia, Elkington settled in the Illinois metropolis in 2000. Two years later he issued the Zincs’ largely solo debut, Moth and Marriage, through the Ohio Gold label; the full-band-driven follow-up, Dimmer., appeared on Thrill Jockey in 2005. The expanded lineup asserted itself on 2007’s Black Pompadour, steering the group toward a more rock-oriented approach.