Roses and Clover
Sometimes an album comes along and if it has poor track sequencing, it can truly suffer. Such is the case with
Roses and Clover. Right off the bat, let it be known that it’s not astounding. It has a few bright spots, but if one were an impatient listener, you would never know this. The first six songs (there are 10 altogether) did not really leave me feeling anything. I was simply indifferent. They are simple songs with random keys sprinkled throughout (courtesy of a Wurlitzer, Casio, Rhodes, and a plain ol’ piano), a slightly soulful vocalist who rarely ever lets loose, and some sparse melodies.
“Plastic Bubble” is a mildly catchy tune with a bright, sunny melody and even a ukulele. “All Alone” features the first appearance of a crash cymbal. The dust it must have collected while waiting to be used, one could only imagine. “Lady Loop” has lively jamming and more impassioned vocals than before, and closes out with a Na Na Na chant. The closer, “Water Song”, is over seven minutes long and starts out with just a piano and vocals, and eventually welcomes in the rest of the crew. Some ambient noise serves as an exit for the song and the album as a whole. The band sounds like they could’ve been around in the 70s, opening for Jackson Browne or Tom Petty. If that’s your thing, you may want to check this out, but honestly the material disappoints more often than it inspires.
