★★★★★
Roses Always Dieis a powerful, shockingly sparse and sardonic record.
Featuring singer-songwriter Sarah Mary Chadwick accompanied by a keyboard and what sounds like its factory setting drum beats, the album challenges the listener with ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek bleakness, coming across like Morrissey on ketamine and green tea.
Not to say that the music isn’t heartfelt or that sincerity is sacrificed for these stylistic choices. On the contrary, without production getting in the way, there’s nothing to distract from the strength of the songwriting. Chadwick uses the bare-bones instrumentation to complement the comically bleak outlook of the lyrics.
Her vocal delivery also plays into this. It’s often flat – not musically flat, just deliberately lethargic – and at other points stretched and emotional, dragging out syllables for effect. More than vulnerable, she sounds emotionally exhausted, and this suits the songs perfectly.
This is a collection of supremely strong songs, and the downer tone adds impact when Chadwick delivers catchy hooks, mixing up pain with pop, like during the chorus of ‘Making It Work’. “It’s a big song ‘cause I’m happy,” she sings unconvincingly. But whatever the truth is, happy or not, we should all be pleased there’s an artist making such strange, beautiful music. A serious contender for one of the records of the year.
Sarah Mary Chadwick’sRoses Always Dieis out on Rice Is Nice.
