At Our Tables, the fourth album from Eileen Rose, was first released back in March 2008, but with a new UK and Europe tour imminent, here it comes with a 7 track "live in the studio" bonus disc, where Eileen and her band, The Holy Wreck, take a turn at seven of the tracks featured on the studio release. Which is a very long sentence, and I apologise for it.
People who know about this sort of thing like BBC Radio 2 disc jockey Bob Harris, have been championing Ms. Rose for quite some time now, and it's easy to see why. She has a fabulous voice and writes great songs. It's as simple as that. But you probably want a few more details, so here we go. It's basically a heartfelt country / folk crossover, almost as if Sheryl Crow had left her leather trousers at home one day, and decided to go properly rootsy on us.
Straight from the opening track "$20 Shoes," you're ushered into a world of catchy melodies, clever wordplay, and choruses you can sing along to. Which is pretty much all you want from a singer / songwriter album. Of course, it could all fall flat on its face, but Ms Rose has a grit to her voice and an edge to her music that lifts it far out of the world of elevator music and into the realms of timeless musical elegance.
The modern world of Americana and roots music is full of chancers who think that an acoustic guitar and a world-weary lyric is enough to make them interesting. It's not, and this is exactly the kind of album that should put them firmly in their place. Sit them down, play them songs as good as "Blue Moon Words," "The Day Before," and the bluesy "Will-O'-The-Wisp," where she rips your heart apart in a duet with Nick Lucassian from Detroit rock and soul band Shipwreck Union. That done, send them on their way to the Job Centre for a career change.
The second, live disc is where Eileen and her road band get their chance to put a fresh impression on the studio material. She says that she "had to get this band on tape, they're that good," and you're not going to get any arguments from me. She has a voice that can rough it up in a roadhouse on the aforementioned "Blue Moon Words" or salve your soul on "I'm The Only One." An outstanding album that should be feted with balloons and bunting.
Article comments
1 - Sam Duke
This is insane, I can't believe so many people like this music. To me the lyrics are meaningless and the melodies don't even register in my conscience. If people enjoy it that is of course a marvelous thing but I don't think i'll ever understand why they do.
2 - Sarah
I think Eileen Rose is absolutely incredible. The best lyricist around - no spoonfeeding, you have to THINK about them. It's just a matter of time before she catches on - she's just too good not to go big.