Page 1 of 2
Artist: Thalia Zedek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:17 am
by kicker_of_elves
Inspired by a Come song that happily popped up on a long forgotten playlist.
What iteration of Thalia the artist resonates the most with you?
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:20 am
by Jacques
I voted TZ Band, but might vote Come tomorrow. I love anything she does.
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:30 am
by Isaac
Maybe only one or two artists mean more to me than Come, so that's easy.
However, one of the best best best shows I've ever seen was a Thalia Zedek Band show at the Empty Bottle in, like, 2004? Pretty sure it was 2004. Right around the time her masterpieces, Trust Not Those Whom...came out. Three piece version of her band: her, viola, and that monster drummer who was on the last Come album. Still shocked by how good that entire show was.
She's an all-timer.
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 11:05 am
by twelvepoint
Don’t Ask… is one of the best records of the 90s and an all time great example of two guitarists playing inside each others heads.
Solo TZ is great too, and she also had a very good band named “E” with Jason from Neptune
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 12:01 pm
by Frankie99
Every person I've ever known that likes Come is a good person.
Come is the apex for her for my money. I got to see them after Gently down the stream - the setlist is right there on my wall just thumbtacked lol - and it was superb. I think I like each of the proper records equally as separate pieces of music that stand alone. Three different monster drummers!
I still listen to and cop from them all the time. The intro to submerge is one of those riffs I play every time I pick up a guitar - I've always wondered if it was a Chris or Thalia lick.
This is a great reminder to spend some time with her solo stuff. It's probably great and I'm a fool not listening sooner.
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 12:35 pm
by OrthodoxEaster
The Uzi EP, but just barely. Kind of a perfect record. Shit-hot drummer, weird sound effects, actually decent '80s-rock lead-guitar playing. Really noisy, kinda goth in spots, but garagey enough to kick ass w/Thalia's post-Patti Smith poetry, throaty singing, and very solid rhythm guitar. The end of "Criminal Child" sounds like a post-punk band combusting. I've also got a live tape w/a ton of nonstudio songs that are just amazing. I would love for someone to press it on vinyl, despite the fidelity.
Live Skull is a close second. But I (and apparently, Thalia) liked 'em better when Marnie was out front—the slightly doomier, heavier, more repetitive, but ironically less rocking approach of the early records. Still, there are some real gems on both the TZ-fronted LPs and EP. "Safe From Me," "5D," and "Step" are perfect songs of their era. I also really like some of the stuff the band was doing w/her at its tail end, like "Tripower" and "Someone Else's Sweat." Shame they stopped before recording another album.
Come is a very strong and close third. I didn't get them when I first heard them (and wanted Live Skull II), but I was a teenage dipshit. Those first two albums are great. Really wonderful warping of the Stones at their most downer. And totally inspiring b/c our girl got clean but also began writing more "mature" songs that did not suck.
I like a lot of Thalia's solo work, as well. It's often mellower, sure. But zero compromises. Have seen some incredible gigs w/just her and a guitar. The voice and her playing (those weirdly Moorish chords) are instantly recognizable.
I'm not sure this counts, but an honorary mention to the two-song catalog of Needlenose, which was a one-off thing consisting of Live Skull but minus (I think?) Mark C. Appears on an obscure comp w/liner notes by Albini. One flailing, brutal number and a blues cover. Fun.
Um, can you tell I'm a fan?
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 12:53 pm
by Krev
Those first two Come records and Positraction by Live Skull are killer. I might give Eleven: Eleven a slight edge over Don't Ask.
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 1:39 pm
by gotdamn
I am so goddamn pumped for a Come/Silkworm gig, you have no idea. Those Come albums have fangs.
Uzi and Live Skull were great as well (+1 for preferring the Marnie era), if a totally different beast.
I've only seen her solo, sans band, somewhere in Kentucky but it was a fantastic show. Catherine Irwin played as well, and we were treated to a couple duets. Rabidly funny pairing, those two.
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:51 pm
by OrthodoxEaster
Not to nit pick, but Thalia's surname is misspelled in this thread and poll ...
Re: Artist: Thalia Zadek
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2026 8:32 am
by kicker_of_elves
OrthodoxEaster wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:51 pm
Not to nit pick, but Thalia's surname is misspelled in this thread and poll ...
Oh heavens. I'm an idiot