Album Review/ Blues Rock : Rosetta West’s ‘Gravity Sessions’

Rosetta West’s blues rock is definitely something to write home about. With an alternative pulse, they explore the vastness, the nuances, the depth and the psychedelics of the genre. And it’s gotten to be a whole culture altogether with a distinct sense of style and intention. Their latest release is the ‘Gravity Sessions’; fan favourites played and recorded in Chicago’s Gravity Studios across a period of a few days. With Doug McBride on board, they shatter many glass ceilings when it comes to interpretation, energy, camaraderie, and fun. The sessions seem to have a whole different vibe, feels more connecting, more personal, and just a whole lot more authentic. 

‘Dora Lee’ opens the sessions with a hard rock rush, with a kick starting rock n roll energy. The riffs are so charismatic, mirroring the vocal presence. The blues form all over, peppering, fraying, uniting, refracting, and scrambling the soundscape. The omnipresence is so natural and immersive. ‘Broken Glass’ and ‘Venous Blues’ combine similar stylistic palettes; especially when it comes to textural exploration and rhythmic movement. The dynamism and depth is super fun but it is also intense. 

‘Deeper Than Magic’ is a slow burn with its warm, gloomy blues. Everything in the song is a vapour that runs deep. Grinding forward, grinding haltingly, crushing and creating the soundscape as if under an immense pressure. There is that sense of measured chaos, spiralling horizontally through the song, splitting through layers of instrumentation. ‘Baby Doll’ is yet another remarkable composition. With the dusty riffs filling the song and the vocals absorbing that energy, it becomes a fantastic scene. That coarse, gritty, and hard work is so remarkable that it is burnt into the brain. 

Even if you’re heard the singles in their original form, it is advised to still hold new space for these sessions. They form so spontaneously, and seemingly played with intuition and fresh mind. The vibrant headspace of the band is reflected, it draws you in and keeps you swirling. 

The sessions are available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music! 

You can listen to ‘Gravity Sessions’ by Rosetta West here -