Rosie Thomas Albums (4)
'These Friends of Mine'
Release Date 12/12/2006
Tracks 10
Label Rosie Thomas
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What The Critics Say
To call a recording like Rosie Thomas' These Friends of Mine "interesting" seems like a nice way of saying that the album isn't bad, but neither is it anything to write home about. In Thomas' case, then, "intriguing" may be a better adjective. Production-wise, These Friends of Mine zigzags all over the sonic map, from highly processed vocals to live kitchen recordings. Whatever the approach, Thomas' airy vocal style, sometimes balanced by Sufjan Stevens' warmer midrange, delivers ten mostly mellow folk songs, backed by sparse and cleanly separated instrumental arrangements. On the first cut, "If This City Never Sleeps," and "All the Way to New York City," Thomas' voice has been run through a wringer of processors and devices, rendering it a mechanical device sheared of emotion. Her folkie-fairy take on R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" fabricates a dreamy, light-confectionary feel that sounds a little bit like a mid-'60s Donovan recording (had he been a woman) captured on cooler studio equipment. Thomas' version of Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird" proves more straightforward, less a reinterpretation than a respectful cover backed by a light string section. Given the disc's length of 33 minutes, some listeners are going to wonder what happened to the other half of These Friends of Mine; other listeners will be glad that they will not be stuck listening to 30 minutes of filler. Taken as a whole, These Friends of Mine is a mixed bag, a long EP that works great when the song choice and left-of-center recording techniques meld into one, and lackluster when they do not. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
'If Songs Could Be Held'
Release Date 9/13/2005
Tracks 11
Label Sub Pop
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What The Critics Say
Rosie Thomas has once again succeeded in producing the most accessible record ever to bear the SubPop insignia. The Seattle-based singer/songwriter's 2002 and 2003 releases for the label were studies in introspective D.I.Y. simplicity, relying on the artists' fragile but expressive voice multi-tracked over winsome pianos, guitars, and xylophones. On her third offering, the equally introspective If Songs Could Be Held, Thomas has crafted a set of songs that wouldn't sound out of place spilling from the ceiling of an extremely popular coffeehouse chain. Armed with amorous string sections, lazy electric piano, and acoustic guitar, If Songs Could Be Held is like a rainy summer afternoon in a bottle. Thomas' voice can be a thing of wonder, especially when she allows it to navigate a melody rather than recite it -- both the austere "Clear as a Bell" and the captivating "Pretty Dress" are peerless examples. While her lyrics are relentless in their wistful self-absorption and romantic second-guessing, the role of the confessional singer/songwriter is aptly fulfilled, resulting in a lovely collection of Sunday morning melancholy that's as gentle as it is weary. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
'Only With Laughter Can You Win'
Release Date 9/23/2003
Tracks 11
Label Sub Pop
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Rosie Thomas' sophomore album further explores the singer/songwriter's relationships with family, love, self, and her spirituality. Her sweetly childlike voice understates her weighty topics, giving a warm balance to the recordings, and her sunny melodies guide the songs to both logical conclusions and lingering questions. Gentle acoustic guitars and atmospheric instrumentation (including xylophones, pianos, and breathy electric guitar lines) support her multi-tracked vocals unobtrusively, allowing her gentle melismata to roll around the words, keeping her message free from misinterpretation. The positively victorious "You and Me" stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the songs, and while the music stays subdued and somber, her voice raises above its gentle whisper to a nearly testifyin' shout, illustrating her conviction to either her love or her faith (or both). On the album's highlight, "I Play Music," Thomas explains quite frankly to her audience, "I play music, that's what I do/And when I sing I lose myself/There's nothing more I'd rather do/Lord knows I've tried everything else." While this lyric is not groundbreaking or necessarily poetic, the pure naked force of her honesty shines through like a child's first question or a lover's drifting sleep talk. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The mesmerizing debut outing of 24-year-old Rosie Thomas tempers folk, country, and alternative rock via sparse arrangements built upon simple acoustic guitar and piano motifs. Like Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, and Paula Cole, Thomas paints vivid pictures with her storytelling prose, especially on "Wedding Day" and "Lorriane," which bemoan the loss of love with an optimistic twist. Documenting the disconsolate pain of separation on "Farewell," Thomas' cracking falsetto punctuates each phrase and whisper until a snippet of childhood soundbites from the artist draws the dirge to a satisfactory conclusion. Her compelling application of legato harmonies on cello to embellish the descending chord progressions of "Run" and "Bicycle Tricycle" displays Thomas' intimate, haunting, and melodic songcraft at its strongest. A fine start for a promising career. ~ Tom Semioli, All Music Guide
