Ball of Wax 34 Songs: Emiko Blalock – “Fairuza”

Having kicked off this volume with a solid chunk of full-band recordings, it’s time to break it down to guitar and voice for a bit – and who better to start us down that path than Emiko Blalock? It’s always a treat when Emiko brings me a new recording for Ball of Wax; I was glad to hear that 3/4 is one of her favorite time signatures, rendering her powerless to resist the call of Ball of Wax 34. “Fairuza” is, on paper, a relatively simple song and recording; a handful of chords strummed on a guitar and a voice. But the voice is Emiko’s singular alto, which deftly explores the heights and depths of her range over the song’s course, mirroring her lyrics as they make reference to sky and ground. I’m generally terrible at interpreting lyrics, and I have no idea what Emiko’s singing about here. (Sometimes I think Fairuza might be a cat? I at least have it on good authority that this song is not about Fairuza Balk.) Regardless, the words and the way they are sung are beautiful and evocative and demand repeat listens. More please, Emiko!