Natalia Zukerman to Release New Album 'Come Thief, Come Fire' on 9/16

Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Natalia Zukerman returns with her sixth studio album Come Thief, Come Fire, out September 16th on Talisman Records. The follow up to 2011's Gas Station Roses, which No Depression called "a rare treat," Zukerman's latest offering expands on her craft, while seeing her expand into new sonic territories, and all the while delivering her most immediate, heartfelt and compelling release to date.

What initially began as two separate EPs - one raw, acoustic and stripped-down and the other lush and cinematic - soon morphed into a single album, anchored by the concept of fire as both destroyer and generator. In its elemental form, fire leaves wreckage where once there was order and harmony; however, it also serves the purpose of providing space for new growth in the wake of devastation. It's this paradox that Zukerman explores musically and lyrically on Come Thief, Come Fire.

Songs like "I Don't Feel It Anymore" and "Courage To Change" wrestle with the feeling of stasis, and the realizations that you've watched opportunities pass without taking the reins of your life and happiness. These moments of introspection and vulnerability are countered with flashes of fervent action, harnessing wild energy to grow and thrive.

Many songs on Come Thief, Come Fire were also inspired by the story of Vernon Shultis, a firefighter from the Woodstock, NY area who was a secret arsonist, setting over fifty barns on fire in the summer of 1997, who became known as Burnin' Vernon. "I was fascinated by this man's story - his compulsion, his deception, the wake of confusion, destruction and mayhem he left behind," Zukerman notes. "And then I thought of him standing and watching one of the houses burn- the colors, the smell, the way he felt. As a songwriter, I got to find the place of resonance with this character. I saw the simplicity and finality of it and the way that the colors of fire tell their own story: the reds, greens, blues, yellows and ultimate charcoal black." Songs like "Hero" and "One Of Us" stem from Shultis' story and the way fire entrances, compels and terrifies, all the while striking a stunning beauty and splendor.

Zukerman recently completed a successful PledgeMusic campaign to fund the album, giving fans access to the stories and inspirations behind many of the songs on Come Thief, Come Fire, as well as the paintings that correspond with each track on the album. To pre-order the album, or purchase any of the album exclusives, visit the Pledge site for more information.

NATALIA ZUKERMAN
Come Thief, Come Fire
1. Courage To Change
2. Jane Avril
3. Bucket
4. I Don't Feel It Anymore
5. The Hunter
6. Come Thief
7. One Of Us
8. What Comes After
9. The Light Is Gone
10. Give
11. Hero
12. Please Don't

Natalia Zukerman grew up in New York City, studied art at Oberlin, worked in mural arts in San Francisco, began her songwriting career in Boston, and now resides, writes, plays and paints in Brooklyn, NY. The daughter of classical musicians Eugenia and Pinchas Zukerman, Natalia found her sound in other strings - those on slide guitar, lap steel, dobro. She found kinship in the earthiness and honesty of folk, bluegrass, jazz and blues music.

Since 2001, Zukerman has released five studio albums and one live album - 2013's Gypsies & Clowns, which was recorded live at SPACE in Evanston, IL. For the shows, Zukerman invited a big group of her musical friends to present over twenty songs from her catalogue, including the well-known tracks "Gas Station Roses," "Brand New Frame" and "Howard Hughes."

Gypsies & Clowns typifies Zukerman's artistic process, in that she's a frequent collaborator on projects from fellow musicians such as Janis Ian, Willy Porter, Susan Werner, Melissa Ferrick, Erin McKeown, AG and Garrison Starr. She also joined with well-known folk singer/songwriters Anne Heaton, Antje Duvekot and Meg Hutchinson for an album in 2009, titled Winterbloom, which they also named the band. They tour throughout November and December, offering both original and traditional songs inspired by winter. Zukerman has also performed at such festivals as Lilith Fair, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Philadelphia Folk Fest, Michigan Womyns Fest, Rocky Mountain Folk Fest and more. Her new album Come Thief, Come Fire is out 9/16 on Talisman Records.

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