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Rosie Thomas

If Songs Could Be Held (2005)
Sub Pop Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Meg
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on September 20th 2005

There’s a fine line that keeps female-fronted indie rock acts like Rainer Maria from playing the Lilith Fair, and it’s a line you won’t even know existed until you listen to Rosie Thomas’ If Songs Could Be Held. While Thomas has a sweet, charming voice, the similarity to Sarah McLachlan’s voice is overwhelming at various points throughout the album. In fact, if "Dawson’s Creek" were still on television, Rosie Thomas would undeniably be chosen to sing the entire soundtrack.

The album offers a certain lullaby-esque quality, but to the extent that nodding off is a rational option while listening. Thinking you’re listening to Joni Mitchell while the record plays may be another rational approximation you'll be prone to make upon listening.

"Put your pretty dress on / it’s time for you to go to the dance / tie your hair in ribbons and lace and wear pearls around your neck and all the pretty princes will see you,” opens the album’s most impressive track, “Pretty Dress.” Aside from the fact that Thomas references “pretty princes,” the track is both delicate and appealing and is a welcome change from the soft-spoken, monotone monotony of the rest of the album.

“Let It Be,” If Songs Could Be Held's sixth track, breaks up the otherwise consistent album with soft-spoken, breathy male vocals, in which could almost be confused with my favourite unwarrantedly arrogant singer-songwriter and yours, John Mayer.

The album’s final track, “Tomorrow,” is a delightfully melancholy, gentle song that offers the album perfect closure with the lyrics “I would follow you / Oh anywhere you are going to / Tomorrow, forever, tomorrow, forever, tomorrow, forever, always,” with a string arrangement to accompany her.

While If Songs Could Be Held offers a wide array of musical influences ranging from folk, singer-songwriter, indie rock and even a trace of soul, the sound accomplished could easily be mistaken for a Joni Mitchell tribute band, and that's surely not a sound one should solely rely on.

MP3
Pretty Dress

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stevejonestherealbones (September 26, 2005)

i dont curtesy flush, but i recycle when i can, so i guess i'm a badass sometimes and not others. i can live with that

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Anonymous (September 22, 2005)

this review is horrid, if only because it nevers actually mentions the band directly, and the references are way too broad and meaningless.

basically, i get that this band/artist is kind of calmly paced pop.

And i get that the reviewer seemed to dislike the record because he couldn't just let a normal middle ground record stand. You can't just 'like' a record. It must be eventful.

Just talk about the music, it isn't up for you to determine as judge whether it gets swept away or put on a pedestal.

Why can't reviews just talk about the tunes? I didn't click on a lesson to be taught, i clicked on a review fucksake.

wyzo

iamfuckyou (September 22, 2005)

i will acknowledge the genius of the conor oberst comment. the star rating is for you sir.

what's a rosie thomas?

Anonymous (September 22, 2005)

Mark Lanegan is indeed great.

-Not-To-Regret

Anonymous (September 21, 2005)

that cover is the best painting of conor oberst I've ever seen.

Anonymous (September 20, 2005)

Remember when Sub Pop put out consistently good records?

Since Mark Lanegan jumped ship to Beggar's Banquet the best they've got is Iron and Wine. And Sleater-Kinney, who aren't as good as they used to be.

Anonymous (September 20, 2005)

rosies alter-ego, Sheila, is comedy genius.

Inspection12e (September 20, 2005)

I don't think the artwork is terrible but the music bores me. She is way too preachy for me.

kenjamin (September 20, 2005)

no you wouldnt

You don't know me. I am a fucking badass. I don't ever recycle and i never ever give courtesy flushes.

Anonymous (September 20, 2005)

"This cover looks like what happens when I try to stretch my artistic "talents." Yea you can tell it's a little girl but I would seriously knee her in the nose if I saw a girl that fugly."

no you wouldnt

kenjamin (September 20, 2005)

This cover looks like what happens when I try to stretch my artistic "talents." Yea you can tell it's a little girl but I would seriously knee her in the nose if I saw a girl that fugly.