Thalia Zedek has spent a long time in the independent music trenches, becoming particularly well known for periods in Live Skull in the 1980s and Come in the ’90s, plying a ferocious strain of guitar-orientated indie-rock. For the last ten years however, Thalia has fronted her own band and over five albums, including this latest, has allowed life and the influences of complementary band members to dial back the intensity, revel in other styles of songwriting, stripping things back a little and allowing a little vulnerability to creep in. For me, this is a great improvement and shows a human touch that wasn’t always obvious before.
Fighting Season takes its title from an Afghan phrase denoting the end of winter, but Thalia has chosen it as a means of venting some of the frustration that modern life and our current political climate brings to mind. Opener “Bend Again” sets a rather mournful tone for the album, but also the slow build and dramatic middle section is reminiscent of songs that have come before. Thalia’s voice sounds tired, but does rouse with the emotion that the band infuses in the more dynamic sections of the song. That contrast is exhilarating as guest player Chris Brokaw‘s keening guitar rises above the pummelling of the band. You can imagine that when J Mascis throws his solo into the mix as the track draws to an end, it is quite an impressive way of linking her history with the constant forward motion of her career and also providing an adrenaline buzz.
In contrast, “What I Wanted”, which also includes a contribution from Brokaw, is slower and more countrified; the curling viola lending a sorrowful air that matches the opening line: “There was a time when I felt so empty…” The difference between the energy of these two tracks dictates the variations running through the album. Title track “Fighting Season” is muscular and bolshy, but contains cello and piano that sit as counterpoints to the terse guitar and bluff rhythm section. It all frames her heartfelt tale of the battle against personal upheaval in a crumbling political climate.
The albums moves through various moods, but I was really moved by the stark confessional “War Not Won” which has the subtlest of piano and cello backing, thus not allowing anything to disturb the sentiments of Thalia’s cracked vocal. The band really are a revelation and allow the songs room to breathe where necessary, but can really dial back the years and come on like a steam train. The strings on ‘The Lines” soar high, circling like birds on the wing in a way that I never would have thought of, but the snarling rhythm gives the right amount of purpose to a tale of lost allegiance, filled with accusation. The gentle finger-picking and intimate vocal of “We Will Roll” allow the soaring sweep of final track “Tower” to push us over the edge, the band in complete unison in their unyielding support, with Dave Curry‘s backing vocals lending a little extra power to Thalia’s.
It is a vibrant end to what is a fine suite of songs, showcasing a songwriter who, if anything, is growing in power. A search of her prior catalogue is on the cards for me, but it will be difficult to improve on this.-Mr Olivetti-
