Stridulum

The unpredictable rock-tumbler of acclaim keeps speeding up for Zola Jesus (who plays Saturday, March 6 at the Project Lodge), so it's a blessing that its latest release, the Stridulum EP, offers a clear-headed look at its strengths and flaws. Slickening some of the proto-industrial grime that Madison vocalist and ZJ mastermind Nika Danilova wandered through on 2009's album The Spoils, Stridulum's six tracks bring more focus to her songwriting. That's not to say it's perfect or all it could be, but of all the things Zola has put out so far, Stridulum is what should have introduced her to the world.

Ultimately, the cynicism that hype and Pitchfork track debuts breed does not stick to Stridulum. The synth-heavy orchestration and distorted percussion get cleaner, sure. That actually helps clear the way for Danilova's shadowy-sweet, opera-turned-goth-pop vocals, which succeed in leading the tunes more frequently than ever. Echoing whispers open "Night" and a more straightforward beat pounds "I Can't Stand" into observations about how "it's not easy to fall in love." Even if her lyrics aren't the most original ones out there, Zola's at least put an unmistakably earnest quality at the front of the mix and confronts the listener with drama, instead of just letting them fall prey to arty-cool numbness.

While not identical, the first five tracks do tend to blend into a flow of weary empathy, peaking with the title track's chorus. This pattern needs to be broken more often. Closing track "Manifest Destiny" abruptly lurches Stridulum onto a different course with an intro that suggests the march of some arcane, hallucinated army. Danilova plants her flag with class and a bit of rawness intact. So much productivity and attention so early in a musician's public life can make for unfair expectations and cranky listeners, but Stridulum gives Zola Jesus something respectable to build on.

Madison-area bands can submit CDs for review by mailing them to 612 W. Main St. #202 Madison, WI 53703. Music can also be submitted digitally to sgordon@theonion.com. We cannot review everything, but will consider everything local that comes our way.