Mama Zu (Jessi Zazu & Linwood Regensburg Of Those Darlins) Shares New Single 'Safe Place To Stay'

On February 23 Thirty Tigers will release Quilt Floor from Mama Zu, the project Those Darlins' frontwoman Jessi Zazu and drummer Linwood Regensburg were working on at the time of Zazu's untimely death from cancer.

On the LP the duo stitch together a sonic tapestry of punchy tracks that resist categorizing in any specific genre. The pair deftly flit from shimmery shoegaze to hooky power pop, riot grrrl-tinged punk to ‘60s psychedelic.

Working without parameters and without outside expectations led them to create an album that lives up to its mix-tape moniker: eleven distinct tracks that are entire universes on their own, but never disjointed. Together, they seamlessly form a robust whole, a representation of someone who has no limits on what kind of records can line their shelves. 

Today another taste of the album is revealed by way of the lead-track, “Safe Place To Stay" The song premiered via Flood who say “the expansive track opens with the cool nocturnal electronica of a mid-'10s indie-pop group like Chromatics before subtly evolving into a Fleetwood Mac–like soft-rock jam,” further noting, “within this slow-moving recording there are plenty of details that make it more interesting with every listen.”  

Linwood told Flood:

“Part of me feels like releasing this as an album teaser/single is a huge mistake. It's pretty slow moving, a bit cold and empty, initially. Might even borderline cross into adult contemporary territory at times? I doubt anyone would play this on the radio…though maybe Delilah would dig it? I could be wrong. Is this pitch selling you yet?

But underlying it all is Jessi's visceral sense of optimism and there's never really a bad time to share something like that. And oh by the way, also starring Larissa Maestro and Kyshona Armstrong on vocals. On percussion is Jane Boxall, who brought propane tanks to the session (which resonate under Larissa's improvised operatic outro.) Maybe the first track to feature both 12 string electric guitar and propane tank? (both notoriously unable to truly be in tune but are glorious nonetheless) The three of them really make this track shine and their contributions are some of my favorite moments on this album.

And as I sit here rambling, I can't help but think of the idea that Gordie (from Stephen King's “The Body) keeps coming back to: “the most important things are the hardest to say, because words only diminish them” (something close to that at least) And maybe that's why I can't just sit here and simply spit out two sentences to act as plug and play talking points for a song that means so much to me in so many different ways."

Photo courtesy of Mama Zu