An American expat based in Belgium since the early '70s,
Tucker Zimmerman
released a string of obscure but coveted folk-adjacent albums before shifting focus to writing fiction and film scores in the mid-'80s. By the time he returned to songwriting in the 21st century, a younger generation had championed his work, though he remains largely unknown outside of Europe and errant pockets of cult fandom. One of his advocates is
Adrianne Lenker
, who, along with her band
Big Thief
, helped produce the 83-year-old singer/songwriter's first solo album in nearly two decades. Released by
4AD
,
Dance of Love
is more of a direct collaboration than a solo outing with
(and friends
Mat Davidson
and
Zach Burba
) serving as his backing band and
Lenker
dueting with him on several tracks. The ten songs here are sprightly and affectionately off-the-cuff. The warm, organic textures that
bring to their own recordings dovetail neatly with
Zimmerman
's careworn voice and exploratory musical ethos. The production is intimate, interactive, and full of breath. One of the most charming aspects about
is its mix of playfulness and poignancy. Balancing poetic standouts like "Old Folks of Farmersville" and "The Season" are more eccentric cuts like the abstract folk-pop of "Idiot's Maze" and the quirky campfire jam "Leave It on the Porch Outside," a call-and-response group track led by
's wife,
Marie-Claire
(pictured alongside him on the album cover). Songs like "They Don't Say It (But It's True)" and "Nobody Knows" pair hard-won wisdom with a funky folk-rock minimalism that hits both the heart and the gut. It's always interesting to hear an artist so late in their career colliding with a younger generation. When done well, it can be transformative, a bridge between then and now that creates its own liminal space.
has lived a full and interesting life, but more importantly, his creative life is still in development.
feels like a chapter, not an extension, and that's what makes it such a fresh and enjoyable listen. ~ Timothy Monger