And indeed, with the release of Brand New Disease (Explicit Records) on October 16, 2007, the follow-up to the artist's ground-breaking The Sex Album (which boasted the Billboard charting single "Disco Libido"), one such statement is being made. Brand New Disease is dark, loud, lush, and emotional. Vale attributes it's sound, in part, to her unique TriBeCa studio where it was recorded. "There aren't many places left in Manhattan like the building our studio is in," says Vale. "It's a self contained sub-culture, raw and at times frightening. A mix of artists who rent, artists who squat, and crazies who wander in and sleep in the staircase. We are trying to get as much art made there as we can before it's inevitably turned into condos." This slice of New York City decay makes appearances in the album art and videos too, as well as providing a venue for her live shows and parties.
In addition to the Gotham city, Jessica Vale drew from her extensive travels for this record. Most notably, a trip to the former Yugoslavia inspired the album's gut-wrenching ballad, "Night in Sarajevo." So much so that Vale returned to shoot the music video in Sarajevo, Belgrade and Croatia's Dalmatian coast last summer.
The dichotomy of being locally grown and internationally conscious is familiar to Jessica Vale, who was born just outside of Philadelphia to a German father and an American mother and then set her sights on traveling the world. She is joined in her band by guitarist Ivan Evangelista of Zagreb, Croatia, bassist Matthew St Joseph of Connecticut and drummer Randy Schrager of New York.
Vale's vision knows no bounds, globally or creatively. A video producer as well, she has worked on projects for artists such as Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, The Four Horsemen and Francis Dunnery. Vale envisions Brand New Disease as more than just a sonic experience. "I see music and film as very intertwined," she says "I am never just working on one or the other. The films that go with each song are just as important as the song itself."
While Vale name-checks everybody from David Lynch to Rob Zombie as kindred creative spirits, she began alone in her musical journey. Even her label, Explicit Records, was formed by Vale and Evangelista in 2005 to be a "two man army."
Sarajevo
Jessica Vale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am I wet from desire or is it fear?
Cheek to the ground, sand in my teeth
You've ripped out my skin
And the pride underneath
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
You've wrecked my beauty
Through years of war
And though it hurts, I still want more
I'll send it to you, my body is yours
It's my mind you're after to rape and deplore
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
Do I want you because I fear you?
I should run but I need you
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
The song "Sarajevo" by Jessica Vale is a poignant and deeply personal reflection on the complex emotions of desire, fear, and trauma that arise in the aftermath of war. Through vivid and evocative imagery, Vale captures the haunting ambience of a city left ravaged by violence and conflict. The opening lines, "Sarajevo, am I alone here? Am I wet from desire or is it fear?" suggest a sense of disorientation and confusion, as the singer grapples with the intensity of their emotions. The repetition of the chorus, with the line "So I wait here patiently for you to kill me, Sarajevo," underscores the singer's fatalistic resignation, a sense of acceptance that their fate is inextricably linked to the city and its history.
The lyrics also touch on themes of personal sacrifice and submission, particularly in lines like "It's my mind you're after to rape and deplore." Here, Vale taps into the ways in which the violence of war can extend beyond physical harm and invade the psyche, leaving scars that are often invisible yet deeply damaging. Ultimately, the song speaks to the complex and painful legacy of war, and the long-lasting impact it can have on individuals and communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Sarajevo, am I alone here?
I am in Sarajevo, but I feel alone.
Am I wet from desire or is it fear?
I am not sure if my feelings towards Sarajevo are based on desire or fear.
Cheek to the ground, sand in my teeth
I am physically down and defeated, with sand in my mouth.
You've ripped out my skin
The war in Sarajevo has caused me to lose my physical and emotional strength.
And the pride underneath
The war has also caused me to lose my self-respect and dignity.
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
I am so broken and damaged that I am waiting for Sarajevo to finish me off.
You've wrecked my beauty
Through years of war
The war has destroyed the once-beautiful Sarajevo and has also broken me down physically and emotionally.
And though it hurts, I still want more
Despite all the damage and pain, I still cannot turn away from Sarajevo.
I'll send it to you, my body is yours
I am so desperate for Sarajevo's attention that I am willing to give my physical self up to it.
It's my mind you're after to rape and deplore
However, Sarajevo's true goal is to destroy my mind and soul, not just my physical body.
Do I want you because I fear you?
I should run but I need you
I am unsure if I am drawn to Sarajevo because of fear or something else, but I cannot bring myself to leave it.
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
Once again, I am waiting for Sarajevo to put me out of my misery.
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
It seems that death by the hands of Sarajevo is the only way I can escape this cycle of pain and despair.
So I wait here patiently
For you to kill me, Sarajevo
I cannot even bring myself to hope for a better future, so I continue to wait for the inevitable end in Sarajevo.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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