When thinking of singer songwriters, Emily Zuzik certainly won’t be the first name that comes to most people’s minds. However, the Los Angeles based performer has had an interesting career. In addition to releasing work under her own name dating back to the early 2000’s, she’s collaborated with Moby, Enchanted Kids and several other artists. Dip into her back catalogue and you’ll find material from an artist who doesn’t want to be pigeonholed. Her 2006 release ‘You Had Me At Goodbye’, for example, features guitar driven pop-rock that would be perfect for a ‘Trouble’-era P!nk (‘Potential’), tunes that are Sheryl Crow-esque (pop-rocker ‘Subtraction’ and the country tinged ‘Breaking It Down’), light vocal jazz (‘Fascinating’) and even a number that sounds like something from the Morcheeba back catalogue (‘Stand Up Stand Out’). …And yet, Zuzik’s strong vocal presence is such that the material never feels like a musical grab-bag. The album is the work of a performer who not only appears to have sucked up a world of influences like a sponge, but also clearly believes in their art.
Her 2025 EP ‘Age + Alchemy’ feels a little more direct due to a few of the tracks showing off a rockier core sound, and having a relatively short playing time – six songs delivered in just under twenty five minutes leaves no room for obvious filler – but those who’ve taken the musical journey with Emily this far will still delight in a couple of musical curveballs.
The EP’s opening track, ‘Easy’, quickly grabs the attention by sharing a chunky blues rock riff, then places a strong vocal over a backdrop that sounds like a cross between the bluesier elements of Melissa Etheridge’s self-titled debut and the more rock oriented tunes tucked away on Joan Osborne’s million-selling ‘Relish’. The riff is timeless: it has a 70s grit, but a very 90s flair; it shares a superb tone throughout which more than compliments Zuzik’s powerful vocal performance. The chorus hook is just as direct, since the decision has been made to repeat the title over a crunchy guitar sound. In some instances, such a basic approach might lead to something that sounds a little lazy, and yet, here, the repetition creates something really catchy, and the slightly gruff, very bluesy tone really sells a number that feels very familiar from the very first listen. The EP’s lead single, ‘Love’s About Taking The Fall’ is a little more sedate by direct comparison, but captures a similar mood. Its mid tempo approach immediately lends itself to a huge, curling vocal, and a use of subtle yet full sounding guitar work falls very naturally between an Americana influence and a melodic, bluesy sound. These two main features come together in a perfect marriage, and as the song progresses, Emily’s voice appears to grow in a way that really compliments the melody in hand. Some listeners may find themselves drawn to the old school organ fills that flow between the rhythmic grooves here, but many will certainly latch onto the sultry vocal tones that rival the mighty Susan Tedeschi. At the point where you think this track hits its peak, a huge sax break adds a really cool 70s vibe. Stylistically, Zuzik says she was channelling “late 70s Dylan…and riffing on ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’”, but there’s also something here that calls back to Matraca Berg’s excellent Bob Seger cover, re-gendered as ‘Come To Momma’ from back in the 90s. Whichever way you approach it, this is a flawless track.
Listeners looking for something a little smoother will almost certainly find something to enjoy during ‘The Case For Slowing Down’. Here, Zuzik blends reverbed guitar parts that sound as if they’re on loan from Chris Isaak with subtle Americana tones supplied by a perfectly pitched steel guitar. The melody that emerges feels almost dream-like in places; as if sound-tracking some desert island getaway with something from the mid 60s. As great as the music is, however, its Zuzik who steals the show with a vocal performance that blends bluesy vibes with light jazz-inflected elements, really adding to the retro vibe. The sassy ‘I’m Losing You’ (a cover the John Lennon number, originally found on 1980’s ‘Double Fantasy’) focuses a little more on bluesy guitars, but the number’s steady rhythm and chunky sound, again, provides a perfect compliment to Emily’s Tedechi/Elkie Brooks-ish tones, and by the mid point of the number, her natural power elevates a tune that could’ve been quite ordinary. That is, until the guitar solo kicks in. Up until then, it’s likely most listeners would be expecting something within a melodic blues slant, but in keeping with Emily’s previous love of mixing things up, the featured lead break shares something much noisier. There are blues tones creeping through, but an increase in volume and aggression leans into something that would feel far more at home on Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s influential ‘Ragged Glory’. It’s brilliant…and what’s more, it really helps give an already strong track more of an epic quality. The brief trip into noisier climes actually allows the soulful melodies of the rest of the track shine a little more brightly by helping everything sound more melodic, by comparison.
That comes pretty close to being the EP’s finest track, but that honour goes to ‘Between Midnight & Memphis’, a slow, brooding number that fuses country influenced guitar lines with a laid back soul-rock groove, often sounding like a Tedeschi Trucks Band deep cut. The late night vibe provides a perfect backdrop for some soaring lead guitar. Musically, it sounds like something you’ve heard many times over the past five decades, but Emily sings with such self-belief and perfect pitch that it still manages to sound as great as anything else in a similar style. Even when going a little more off-piste during ‘Taking A Walk’ – where Zuzik fuses a jazzy vocal to a mellow groove that sounds like a marriage between Once Blue, Morcheeba and something from the softer end of Willy Porter’s back catalogue – everything just…works. At first, it feels as if the bell-like keys will be the strongest element here, but as things move along and the melody really finds its feet, some superb acoustic guitar work really stands out. No matter where her band steers the tune, though, Zuzik’s vocals are superb, and when reaching for some bigger, jazzier notes at the track’s end, listeners are given a brief insight into how strong her vocals can be when she really cuts loose.
This is one of those releases that (again) proves that originality needn’t be at the forefront to create an absolutely enthralling experience. It’s actually more important that the performer understands melody, atmosphere, and how to use spaciousness to great effect. The fact that this EP has those qualities in abundance and that Emily Zuzik really knows how to work some great, timeless sounding hooks ensures that ‘Age + Alchemy’ really shines. This is the kind of release that older rock fans and lovers of chunky sounding Americana can spin time and again and still come away feeling hugely satisfied. A highly recommended listen.
April 2025
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