Rosie Crow - Rosie Crow

Up and coming pop artists are secretly everyone's guilty pleasure. The newest face in pop is Rosie Crow, her eponymous debut making her first marks on the industry.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Rosie Crow kicks off confidently with 'Broken Branches,' a track that starts subtly with an infectious beat that slowly builds bigger and bigger with new elements as it progresses. It somehow maintains a sense of minimalism while still being pretty packed with new movements at every turn. The follow up track 'Stop Believing' sounds more inviting and bouncy than the previous, sounding more like a CHVRCHES single than anything. 

The softer moments on the record also stand out. 'Heavy Heart' rings out sweetly and powerful, led by piano and orchestras to create a blissful experience. 'Underground' follows up just as powerfully, more understated but still just as profound. 'Underground' is perhaps a more powerful track, each element of the track working independently and beautifully as a function of Crow's voice. 'Charlotte's Song' has a similar message to it, but in a much more melancholy fashion. This song is the most hard-hitting of the three, blatantly and heartbreakingly sad at every corner.

Somewhere along the way, Rosie Crow does falter a bit. This record is a pop album, and nothing but. There's not much variation outside of the core sounds this record has (poppy or piano ballad). The only unique song is really 'Broken Branches' with its spiraling build. Everything else falls short of that. The album slowly becomes a piano pop record, but it feels overcast in a cloud of gray - there's no excitement in the latter half of the record, contrary to the promise of the beginning. I'm all for sad songs, but they have to be done in moderation. The slow build of closing track 'Fault Lines' could've been done so much more effectively if it was more than just another piano song.

Rosie Crow has promise, but she hasn't channeled it all just yet. Her eponymous debut shows that she has all the elements she needs for success, but doesn't quite reach it itself. Don't let her slip under the radar. She'll come back bigger and better sooner than you realize.

Favorite Tracks: Charlotte's Song, Broken Branches, Underground

Least Favorite Track: Don't Wait

Rating: 70 / 100

Buy or listen to Rosie Crow here: