thalia zedek: via

On Via, Zedek presents a collection of songs that range from the harrowing to the heartfelt. The opener “Walk Away” is a triumphantly melancholic exploration of living with ghosts, with Zedek’s richly emotive voice augmented by David Michael Curry’s gravelly viola and Mel Lederman’s measured piano. Via also features some of Zedek’s noisiest material in some time. Halfway through “Want You To Know,” Zedek’s guitar erupts into a wash of fuzz, foreshadowing the climax of pounding drums and psychedelic soloing. Via is an album about recovery, loyalty, chance, and gratitude: universal themes that become stirring in Zedek’s hands. The album was written during two distinct sessions over the course of four years. The first set of songs was written during the period of touring after the release of Liars and Prayers with longtime drummer Daniel Coughlin, who was also in Come. After Coughlin’s departure from the band, Zedek recruited Son Volt drummer Dave Bryson, who’s simple, spacious playing allowed her to stretch and experiment with new sounds and ideas. It was recorded by Andrew Schneider at New Alliance and Translator Audio in June and September of 2012. Via has a gravitational field, a magnetic pull brought on by the weight of the words and the mass of the sounds created. Regardless of her status as a pioneering woman in independent rock, Thalia Zedek’s music stands on its own in its startling honesty.

Thalia Zedek - Winning Hand.