7/10

Ever since she first emerged, LA-based singer-songwriter ZZ Ward has looked to pay homage to the classic blues-rock sound of yesteryear. Raised on the legends of the scene since a young child, she has spent the past decade looking to do her heroes proud with a wave of infectious outings that always add a fresh and exuberant edge to the genre. And after the rousing response to last year's 'Mother' EP, she is back once again to deliver her vibrant new album 'Liberation', a record that sees her hone those uplifting skills at every turn.

Right from its heartfelt opener 'Mother', this new fourteen-track collection looks to blend a heady mix of swaggering guitar grooves and an anthemic vocal style. Moving with this subtle elegance from track to track, shifting gears as she goes, 'Liberation' finds her in one of her more progressive guises yet. Whether she is looking to get our toes tapping with the wildly enjoyable 'My Baby Left Me' or offer up a more sombre atmosphere with 'Naked In The Jungle' and its heart-wrenching title-track, ZZ Ward spends much of this release skirting the line between blues and soul, adopting this brilliantly absorbing aura as often as possible.

It has certainly been a productive time for her lately, but 'Liberation' shows she is ready to pump out the power more than ever. Strapping her soaring vocal style to some truly impactful production from start to finish gives her latest LP a beautifully timeless feel, one that will fans of hers will be lapping up at every opportunity.