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Zola Jesus — Night

Video 7 Comments

Live at Blast House Studios, two weeks ago in Madison.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi394sJ3tWI
Originally from Wisconsin, she recently moved to LA to get married. I regret that work responsibilities kept me from her concert two weekends ago at the Seventh Street Entry. I imagine she'll have bigger venues to play soon.

She has several albums released, but the only songs she's playing now are from her two most recent EPs, Stridulum and Valusia, plus two new songs, twelve songs in total, so her shows are in the 35-40 min range.

"Run Me Out," at the Palladium, LA, Sept 2010:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIKgozvt87A
"Manifest Destiny" at SXSW, 2010:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqTp3mRF4c

As an aside, I sent an e-mail to her management asking for permission to make an audio recording of her set (the one I missed), but was turned down. One reason they gave was that they want her recordings to stand for themselves or something, and not my poor bootlegs. Whatever: there are 200 or so horribly recorded clips of her on YouTube.

8 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 108 votes, average: 8.50 out of 10 (8 votes, average: 8.50 out of 10)
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7 thoughts on “Zola Jesus — Night”

  1. My film nerd is showing here, but for a live performance, this was beautifully shot and directed, and the sound mixing was impressive.

    Good pull, AMR. Zola Jesus is a name I've long heard but ignored; I'll remedy that.

    1. I listened but didn't watch. Then I read your LTE and had to go back for a second look. Hearing and seeing it only improved the experience - glad the "film nerd" was around.

      1. It's easy for a director to detract from the music with a video. This director definitely knows how to hit that sweet spot where the aural experience is somehow enhanced. Simple, but effective.

    2. Thanks. I wanted to put up a clip of her, and when that came through her facebook feed earlier this week, I knew I had what I wanted.
      Especially as so many audience clips have horrible sound. Glad you liked it.

      Another thing I liked about this clip is her performance. She must still be a bit uncomfortable on stage: she does a lot of awkward pacing as she sings and appears detached from her performances. I dug through a lot of youtube looking for bonus clips, and she's definitely improving her voice and stage presence over the past 15 months. She's still got work to do on live presentation, but she seems to have her writing and recording at a high level. I think one advantage of the featured clip is that it's a studio session, so she's not trying to "perform" for people, just trying to sing.

      I hoped that the featured clip was one of a set, but there was only one. The same was true the other two, which I also felt had good sound paired with visual content. All three were one-offs.

    3. PS. Only bother with the two EPs I mentioned. The earlier stuff is different, more of that Lo-Fi, Ariel Pink type stuff. It's not bad, but not as good, and she seems to have separated herself from it by not playing any of it.

  2. I also want to say that "Manifest Destiny" is my favorite song of hers, so far. The opening lyric:

    I don't have a reason to go back home
    So what am I supposed to do?
    What am I supposed to do?
    I only know one place where I have to be
    And it's gotta be with you.
    Gotta be with you.

    Hits me as just perfect. I really like how she matches up tender, almost positive songs, with a overpowering, nearly evil sound.

    Until just now, I didn't connect this lyric with her recent biography: Leaving Wisconsin for Los Angeles after getting married.

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