Album Details

• Artist: Zz Ward
• EP:
Eleven Roses Mixtape
• Label: N/A
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: carlita on 2012-03-29

Media

Getting wind of the building buzz around ZZ Ward, I got on the case immediately to investigate. Our generation has been waiting for the next Fiona, Alanis or Sara, would this girl fill the void? Perhaps. Checking her out at the Troubadour last weekend, I caught her harmonica, guitar and keyboard playing hand-clapping, feet-stomping performance which led me to "Eleven Roses", her recent mixtape, the title referencing the fact that eleven roses such as the dead roses on the cover are not a perfect dozen in life and something is missing- the perfect love, sanity, etc.

Free for download on her website and on YouTube, it projects a bad-ass country girl (but not in a fake, irritating way) vocally reminiscent of Jessie J and blues legend Bessie Smith. The phrase "A boy done did me wrong" immediately comes to mind and is right on but she doesn't discuss vulnerable heartbreak in a dainty "I'm so fragile, boo-hoo and I'll never get over you" kind of way, more like in the vein of "You broke my heart so now I'm going to kick your ass/nether regions" which I find refreshing.

Providing a much needed respite from a few other indie "running through a field of wildflowers" or "I'm artsy cause I wear sunglasses at night" females with lines like "I can smell the bullsh-t on your breath" and "get off your knees, b-tch, no need to beg" in hip-hop "stanky leg" (people are still doing that, right?) dance-inducing songs like "Overdue" and "Cinnamon Stix".  It's not all bitter as she has hopeful messages about devotion ironically on a song called "Til The Casket Drops".  "Eleven Roses", an impressive selection of songs makes me eager to hear her upcoming debut album and want to grab a jug or a washboard to join her dirty shine soul blues band.  Yup, agree this was criminally "over, over, overdue ". 

User Reviews and Comments

on 2012-05-18 Carlita Said:

Isn't she dope? I got her new EP from her record label and as you read, I am excited for her debut as well!
Rating: 8/10

on 2012-05-18 Carlito Said:

Just heard this mixtape last week. I was totally blown away. So much so I was going to write a review but alas, someone beat me to it. The debut album should be killer.
Not Rated