Album Review: Esther Rose - 'How Many Times'
New Orleans artist Esther Rose releases her country pop album ‘How Many Times’.
Released on Full Time Hobby Records where previous label mates include Samantha Crain, Bananagun and White Denin, ‘How Many Times’ is available to order now a limited-edition pink and white splatted vinyl. The album delivers us classic country song-writing styles with organic folk instrumentation but with a sour twist of tongue in cheek self-effacing lyrics delivering a somewhat darker nuance.
Rose brings sparks of joy and playfulness in her lyrics with the ability to accept responsibility for situations, specifically in track three where the chorus lyric ‘I’m getting tired of my bad mood’ says it all.
Written across two years and drawing upon big life events and shakeups including moving 3 times, countless live shows and the end of a relationship she says ‘It’s not really about feeling better, it's about feeling it, whatever it is’. This happy-go-lucky style is reflected into the track ‘Good Time’ which was written on the side of the road after her car blew up on an impulsive adventure to Nashville.
‘How Many Times’ was co-produced by Ross Farbe known for his work in the synthpop band ‘Video-Age’ who helped bring a ‘poppier’ glow to the album. The tracks on the album are a collection of complete takes recorded live to tape, with rich organic instrumentation including fiddle and lap steel. This was blended with artistic ideas and creative techniques such as blustery and whistling winds in a voice memo which was recorded at the top of Mount Philo and can be heard in the song ‘Mountaintop’.
The opening and title track of the album gives us a taste of what’s to come with gentle vocal melodies juxtaposed with heart wrenching lyrics of ‘how many times will you break my heart’, but set up next to the warm organic instrumentation still leaves us feeling uplifted, which is no mean feat.
The single was released with a music video set in the cobbled streets of the French Quarter of New Orleans, featuring her being knocked down by dogs, drenched in water and tormented my masked brides. The video ends with a disheveled Rose sitting to rest with everyone who had knocked her down portraying how she always returns to the ones that hurt her.
From top to bottom in ten tracks, Esther Rose has created an album that delivers us country classic but with an edge of something shiny and new.
Words by Tamara Grzegorzek