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It's the quiet culmination of years spent fully immersed in a developing artistry,
and presents Rose's always vividly detailed emotional scenes with new levels of
clarity and control. As with previous work, her songwriting transfgures the chaos
and uncertainty of a life in progress, but here she introduces a newfound pop
element that attaches unshakably catchy hooks to even the darkest stretches of
the journey.Rose takes an unblinking look at her own vulnerabilities as well as
more universal concerns, somehow never taking herself too seriously in the
process. This manifests as a critique of the insidious sexism of the music
industry on "Dream Girl," but quickly melts into a hazy memoryscape of the dive
bar drama and suspended hovering of her early 20s on "Chet Baker." The song
"Safe to Run" (a gorgeous duet with Hurray for the Riff Raff's Alynda Segarra)
directly merges the personal with the global, superimposing feelings of spiritual
displacement onto the larger, looming dread of climate grief. Rose breathes in the
ecstasy of the natural world in one line and makes fun of herself a few bars later.
There are ghosts in the room for most of her songs, but she's invited them in and
is cracking jokes with them over a drink or two.Ultimately all of these new
advancements become twinkles of light in the background as they fold into the
big picture impact of the songs themselves. Esther Rose translates her world into
eleven curious and captivating scenes. While the songs are stunning one by one,
absorbing Safe to Run as a whole feels like witnessing something taking shape,
experiencing the headspins of the elevation and the slow return to equilibrium as
the clouds start clearing.
Tracklist
Stay
Chet Baker
Spider
Safe to Run (feat. Hurray For The Riff Raff)
St. Francis Waltz
New Magic II
Dream Girl
Insecure
Levee Song
Full Value
Arm's Length