Album Review: RØRY- 'Restoration'
A dream in the making and a milestone to remember, rising UK star RØRY is marking her 40th birthday with the rejuvenating release of her debut record Restoration.
The blue-haired wonder has been making a name for herself on streaming platforms and social media. Whether she’s singing her heart out on tour, sharing a slice of her life with her followers, or breaking down everyday stigma of her ADHD diagnosis, RØRY has used her face and her voice for good and to spread positivity and justice. The brutally true emotion she holds for her experiences and the world around her kicks off with the record’s opening track, ‘if pain could talk, what would it say…’ and carries on into ‘In The Bible’. Her half-spoken-half-sung vocals work well to convey her messages and her innermost thoughts. It’s not just a story in a song, they’re not false feelings being brought up to entertain; as she speaks, it comes from the heart rather than gets formulated by the head.
RØRY’s always been an open book about her struggles: having previous dependencies on alcohol and recreational drugs, and indulging in other unhealthy habits as coping mechanisms for her mental illness troubles. This has always been one of her greatest driving forces creatively, and has inspired many of her works. One example is the beautifully composed ‘One Drink Away’, found on Restoration. ‘One Drink Away’ reflects on the singer’s sobriety and how she doesn’t take part in the activities used to; no more all-night parties, no more anonymous hook-ups in clubs, and no more drinking until passing out all alone. However, this reflection comes with the recognition that it takes hard work to stay on the wagon with the chorus’ words, “I’m only one drink away”. She knows just one mistake, one slip-up, and she could go back to her lowest lows, but with that acceptance comes inner-strength.
RØRY is one of the most transparent, honest, and grateful artists in the scene right now and is possibly one of the most deserving of a successful career in the industry. Being someone who people can trust and relate to - in terms of both high and low points of life - adds that extra level of likability to her music. Whether it’s a softer ballad like the aforementioned ‘One Drink Away’ or the more bouncy high-energy anthems such as ‘SORRY I’M LATE’, which appears near the end of the record, there is always a sound that someone likes and a story that someone lived in the catalogue of RØRY.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
