It may have taken the combination of a global pandemic and a broken finger from a dog attack, Linwood Regensberg finally found time to finish Jesse Zazu’s final album. Quilt Floor spans a range from folk to punk and features sharp feminist and political lyrics.
The former Those Darlins bandmates were working on a new project, tentatively titled Mama Zu, before Zazu’s untimely death from cervical cancer in 2017 at only 28. The album was something that at first, Regensberg was reluctant to return to.
“When Jessi passed away it was shocking because no one in our circle thought it would happen,” Regensber said. “Even when things looked bad she would bounce back. I would get stressed out about what the toll might be of having to suffer through something that’s going to make you feel things. You get over all these little speed bumps and traumas and stuff along the way.”
While it took seven years to release, Quilt Floor is sadly just as relevant today as it was at the beginning of the Trump era. “Emotional Warrior” is about the man himself, though the thin line between making crass jokes about sexual and acting on it explored on “Make a Joke” may have just as much to do with him.
Zazu and Regensberg switch genres effortlessly from the Bangles-esque sound of “Make a Joke” to the slower country tune “Guitar World,” which criticizes the sexism present in Nashville. Again, the album is seven years old but hasn’t aged a day.
“She’d ask a question and they’d talk to her like she’s a child or they’re looking over at me,” Regensberg said of their time in a Guitar World. “It’s comical in a way because it’s so absurd. But somebody who’s working at the guitar store is going to talk down to someone who’s on tour and selling tickets.”
Zazu’s lyrics are feisty, funny, and always happy to punch up. Besides Trump and sexism, Zazu targets topics as small as someone who won’t shut up and as large as capitalism.
“I was always really jealous of how good she was with lyrics,” Regensberg said. “She could cut the fat out of things and get to a point. In songwriting it’s really tough to do especially on topical things. She could sum things up in a way that was both poignant and kind of funny. She’s somebody that stands for truth and fairness and treating people with kindness. And anything that doesn’t fall in line with that she’s going to speak out.”
A viewpoint like that is still necessary in 2024. Zazu was never more fierce than as Mama Zu and it’s tragic to know it’s never coming back. Regensberg’s reluctance to work on finishing the album came in large part due to his busy touring schedule with other fantastic indie-Americana acts like Low Cut Connie and Tristan. It also had to do with the difficulty of exploring the emotions of that loss and the awkwardness of making changes to the art of someone who isn’t there to defend it. But ultimately, he didn’t regret it.
“Some feelings will come back and maybe it’ll bring some tears,” he said. “But at the same time the joy was bigger than everything else. This is one way I can spend time with somebody that’s gone.”
Above is the full episode as aired on WUSB’s Country Pocket, including both my interview with Linwood Regensberg and the songs we discussed, starting with Four Leaf Clover, a cover song on which he duets with Zazu. The interview begins with the second video in the playlist. You can hear the show live every Monday at 11am on WUSB 90.1 FM or check the blog to watch it as a YouTube playlist. Visit http://www.WUSB.fm and https://mamazu.bandcamp.com for more.
Country Pocket 