Eyes Full isn’t the debut album from the trailblazing Zoh Amba, one of the most influential figures on the New York jazz scene, but it is the first to swap her gripping saxophone for the guitars of alt-country. Another Time is the Song of the Day.
In an album filled with tracks that hover somewhere between classic folk and modern Americana, Another Time stands out as the melodic jewel of the LP. It’s the track you’ll enjoy even if you don’t care for the rest. Yet the first thing that draws you to the piece is Amba’s raw, unvarnished voice.
She sings about a colleague or acquaintance she has seen “talking to the dogs again” or asking God if He’s near. In the second verse, it becomes clear that the artist is speaking about someone who is desperately seeking a glimmer of hope in their life: “You were strumming a guitar on the street / You were looking into the eyes of every passerby / You were looking for God.”
Another Time doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel, but it offers plenty of elements to savor. Bob Dylan fans will enjoy as much Amba’s vocal freedom as the numerous riffs that run through the track, while Adrianne Lenker listeners will immediately recognize a voice that is both vulnerable and incredibly powerful.
