Tennessee Native Zoh Amba Set to Release Matador Records Debut Album ‘Eyes Full’ This June

Brickinfo News Agency – Tennessee-born artist Zoh Amba has announced the upcoming release of her debut album with Matador Records, titled Eyes Full, scheduled for arrival on June 5. Moving away from her established reputation as an avant-garde saxophonist in the New York City scene, this project marks a significant shift as Amba returns to her roots, utilizing the guitar to explore themes of working-class struggle, redemption, and her Appalachian upbringing. The announcement is accompanied by the lead single and music video for ‘Another Time’, offering a first look at the album’s blend of acoustic blues and folk influences.

The record serves as a sonic homecoming for Amba, who left her mountain town at seventeen for San Francisco and New York before eventually reconnecting with her Southern heritage. While her previous work focused on instrumental transcendence, Eyes Full incorporates lyrics to confront personal and regional histories. Amba noted the inevitability of this reflection, stating, “When you try to run from something it ends up catching up to you, and you have to deal with it.” The album’s character-driven narratives, such as in the tracks ‘OCD’ and ‘Weed Eating’, aim to provide a voice for those in her hometown who are often overlooked.

Recorded live at Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina, the album features no overdubs, capturing a raw energy between Amba and her collaborators. The band consists of her close friend Kevin Hyland on electric guitar and veteran drummer Jim White. The trio rehearsed extensively to achieve a sound that fluctuates between abrasive electric bursts and gentle Appalachian folk. Amba explained her motivation for the songwriting, saying, “I hope these songs touch people’s hearts. They’re about people who really need to be seen and heard.”

One of the most pivotal tracks on the album is ‘Southern Soil’, a song that addresses the silence and secrets of her youth. Amba described the emotional weight of finishing the track, noting that it felt like reaching the bottom of a feeling she had carried her entire life. Regarding the people who shaped her early environment, she expressed a desire for mercy over judgment, stating, “They all deserve to go to heaven.” By rejecting punitive theology, the album focuses on the possibility of grace and dignity for marginalized communities.

In support of the new release, Zoh Amba is scheduled to perform at Nightclub 101 in New York on April 17. Following the album’s launch, she will embark on a US tour throughout the summer, appearing as a supporting act for Courtney Barnett and Folk Bitch Trio.