Gritty, groovy, and above all authentic is ZZ Ward's latest album, Liberation, which released this past week under the coveted Sun Records label.
Raised on the blues greats thanks to her father and his record collection, Ward began to perform when she was just 12-years-old. Her experiences as a woman in the music industry led her to compromise her love for the blues in order to fit industry demands. Becoming a working mother and parting ways with her previous label brought her back to her roots, expressed on each of Liberation's 14 tracks.
As a fitting opening track, "Mother" starts the album off strong with an intensely bluesy reflection on motherhood, which is the core theme carried throughout the album. Each verse is structured around the 24-hour day, detailing the commitments that motherhood demands. With her unmistakable voice, she sings about each obstacle she overcomes, challenging the listener to spend a day doing any one of them, so that "maybe you can relate to the brand new mother in me."
Another notable number is "Naked in the Jungle," which delivers a scathing rebuke to the men who make their partners bear the brunt of parenthood without sharing the load. Utilizing the familiar groove and structure of the 12-bar blues, Ward plants her feet firmly and demands answers. Her signature grit highlights the intensity and pain she conveys through the lyrics, singing, "Oh if I'd only just known / I'd be out here in the wild on my own."
"Liberation" stands out as not only the title track, but as a moving cry for help in the midst of struggle. The track begins with the chorus, as Ward pleads, "Help me help myself." Without anywhere else to turn, feeling helpless and "tired of reaching out for somebody else," she decides she's "gonna get me some liberation." The lyrics are supported by a constant, pulsing beat that propels the song forward.
"Next To You" closes out the album with an energetic celebration of love and devotion. Ward sings of a lover who is "the real thing," someone she wants to grow old with. Fittingly for the final track, lines like "when I die I know I want my bones right next to you" and "just like a glass of whiskey, we get better with age" illustrate the longevity this ideal love possesses. Paired with consistent themes of motherhood, this track presents the ideal partner: someone who is willing to step up beside her and be her "real thing."
"I didn't plan to make a blues album about motherhood, it just sort of happened naturally," Ward shares. "I've always written to get through things in life. Suddenly, I was faced with a new job that's 24/7 with no breaks, and that's what I wrote about. But when you get tested, you discover who you are, and this album comes from a feeling of empowerment."
Liberation is charged with explorations of under-discussed experiences and raw self-reflections, as ZZ Ward continues her commitment to authentic artistry. See below for her upcoming tour dates.
ZZ Ward Tour Dates:
Tuesday, March 18 - Annapolis, MD - Maryland Hall For the Creative Arts @ 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 19 - Alexandria, VA - Birchmere @ 7:00 PM
Friday, March 21 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig @ 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 22 - Kent, OH - The Kent Stage @ 7:00 PM
Sunday, March 23 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom @ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, March 25 - Indianapolis, IN - The Tobias Theater @ 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 26 - Chicago, IL - City Winery Chicago @ 7:00 PM
Friday, March 28 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre @ 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 29 - West Saint Paul, MN - Fitzgerald Theatre @ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, April 1 - St. Louis, MO - City Winery St. Louis @ 7:00 PM
Wednesday, April 2 - Kansas City, MO - Madrid Theatre @ 7:00 PM
Friday, April 4 - Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre @ 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 5 - Dallas, TX - Longhorn Ballroom @ 7:00 PM
Sunday, April 6 - Houston, TX - The Heights Theater @ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, April 8 - New Orleans, LA - Chickie Wah Wah @ 7:00 PM
Wednesday, April 9 - Memphis, TN - Hernando's Hideaway @ 7:00 PM
Friday, April 11 - Atlanta, GA - City Winery Atlanta @ 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 12 - Nashville, TN - City Winery Nashville @ 7:00 PM
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