Every time Zara comes here to record an album, she adds something new to the mix without losing her signature sound. This time not only are there more ukulele-based songs, but there are double-tracked vocals on These Weeds, and two things I was sure she wouldn’t keep. One of those is a little ukulele thing I was crafty enough to record as she was improvising it. There were no words — just a vocal melody — but I thought there was an eerie beauty to it. The other is a bit of between-song silliness that cracked us both up.
When you combine those little moments with ten of Zara’s dynamic, deeply personal songs, I think you get what might be the best Zarasutra album yet.
My 1951 Gibson LG-2 returns as the acoustic guitar of choice for the first time since UNCERTAIN ASSERTIONS. The ukulele is Zara’s own. And then there’s that voice, which remains one of the most unique I’ve ever recorded.
Dressing to Undress 