ZZ Ward: Mother Review
Recently signed Sun Records Recording artist ZZ Ward has not only a new record label but also has a brand new EP. Her new recording, Mother, is a six song collection of some really great, ear-pleasing tunes that she has already begun to take out on the road and share on her Dirty Sun Tour. The singer, songwriter, and musician has three previously released studio albums and four previously released EP’s. Her 2017 release, The Storm peaked atop the Billboard Blues Album Charts, and Ward’s 2023 album, Dirty Shine, also received critical acclaim. The New York Times once wrote that her “energy evokes Tina Turner, her chops, Aretha Franklin and her soul, Etta James”. That’s some pretty flattering accolades, for sure. ZZ Ward’s first band was at the age of 12 and one that included her father. The first song that she sang was an Albert King song; so I think that it would be appropriate to say that she was immersed in the blues at a very young age. She continues to follow that blues road map with the release of Mother.
Mother opens with the title track, “Mother”. Don’t be taken off guard by the title. You may envision a heartfelt tune about somebody’s mom, but it is far from that. It is a super soulful, sassy tune about motherhood. It includes Ward’s great vocals and some very hot guitar work. I’ve never been a mother but, I am sure, especially after listening to this song, that it is not for the faint of heart. The second offering on this EP is, “My Baby Left Me”, and it’s a toe tapping song with a great rockabilly feel to it. Get on up, grab on, and dance to this if you can keep up. If your baby left you, he must be out of his mind. Next up is a revised version of “Put The Gun Down”. Track four on Mother is, “I Have No One”, which is a super soulful ballad that features ZZ Ward’s great vocal ability. I can almost hear and imagine some of the queens in R&B history singing this song. Everybody needs somebody alongside of us in this walk of life that we are all taking and nobody should be taking that walk alone. if you don’t have anybody; get out there and find someone to hold you and squeeze you tight. “Lil Darlin” is the next tune on the EP. The last track on Mother is “Cadillac Man”, and tooling down the highway seems like a great idea while listening to this song. I love the guitar and smokin’ vocal; and it makes me want to, maybe, go out and buy a Cadillac to do my tooling in.
ZZ Ward’s Mother is a well done EP that showcases her great vocals. The six tracks offer great songwriting, musicianship, and arrangements to supplement the vocal stylings and abilities of Ward. Each track is an enjoyable experience and leaves us wanting to hear even more of her material. We can all look forward to catching her “live” on tour and we can look forward, in positive anticipation, to her next recording.
The Review: 8.5/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Mother
– My Baby Left Me
– I Have No One
– Cadillac Man
The Big Hit
– Mother
