A White Russian please

Thola Heyzoos, or Zola Jesus to non-Spanish speakers, graced us with her presence at the Manchester Academy on Thursday night and proved to be more than the proverbial rocket up the arse. Her hour long set consisted mostly of her bouncing around the stage giving it Tilda-doing-interpretive-dance-based-on-the-life-of-an-asparagus beans in the sort of outfit one would pick up from Debenham's for a post-wedding reception party, complete with mink stole probably fashioned by herself from the animals her father hunts in Minnesotan forests, while her band - consisting of Black Sabbath tribute act rejects, and we mean that in the most celebratory of senses - gave us a musical set piece worthy of rousing howling only Zola, Shamu and the inebriated obese homeless man in the audience could provide accompaniment to. In other words, the gig was fucking excellent and Zola is a totally, one hundred per cent unique individual creating innovative music unlike anyone else in 2011, which is something one can only applaud. Her music will never make the mainstream, but her audience is growing thanks to ever increase blog wanking (see this very post) and guest spots such as her appearance on the latest M83 album, so brand new ears are listening to her dark and disturbing electronic woodland symphonies every day.

A review of an 'unusual', 'quirky', 'left of the road' female singer songwriter and not one comparison with Kate Bush. The Guardian, Daily Mail, any and all lazy music journalists - take note. It can be done.