Portland - Lucy Rose’s folk pop takes a forlorn and candid turn on her newly released LP Work It Out. The UK singer songwriter’s second album is a selfless look at her viewpoint on love and attachment, which manages to recognize her listeners as much as the supposed subjects. Rose’s take on the genre is inventive yet classic–most of her tracks rely on her airy vocals and the accompaniment of just guitar or piano. She doesn’t adhere to a stringent approach to folk, her sound is stripped down but utilizes elements that surprise and capture—her straight-up approach is refreshing but she isn’t lacking in creativity. Work It Out’s tracks play with pop and folk. She doesn’t restrict herself to one genre—she experiments.
Lucy Rose largely kept her songwriting abilities to herself in her early years of composing. She contributed vocals to Bombay Bicycle Club’s 2010 album, Flaws, and started touring on her own in 2011. The English artist released her debut album via Columbia in 2012. Her steady rise has allowed her to experiment with sound and meticulously prepare for a career of her own, and she’s doing just that. Following the release of Work It Out, she will set out on a UK/EU tour.
Work It Out is astounding in its ability to compel the listener and, most importantly, create a story. The album listens much like how a journal might: her lyrics don’t stray from genuine emotion, making her at times intense lyrics the true focal point of the album. Opening with a soft acoustic guitar, “For You” foreshadows the selfless tone that eventually takes shape. The artist’s sense of loss is at the forefront from the very beginning as her easy vocals sing: “why’d you have to go so soon? / Cause it’s not fair for you to underestimate my love.” The end of the song leaves the singer defeated with the final line “where do I go from here?” as the background changes from an ironic cheeriness to a fade to silence.
Emotion fuels Work It Out, but it isn’t all romantic. “Nebraska” begins with sparse piano before a jazzy drumbeat accompanies Rose’s sweeping vocals. “Nebraska” expresses the struggle with self-acceptance and identity: “I’m walking on thin ice / To find who I really am.” The track reflects a barren landscape that is only enlightened by Lucy Rose’s constant, delicate voice. While the bridge brings violin and guitar elements, the song relies on softer tones to attract the listener. The album’s eighth track, “Fly High (Interlude)” is a welcomed instrumental that introduces “Till The End,” a song that assures, “we could’ve made it till the end.”
Lucy Rose’s second effort is more experimental than her first, but continues to represent her voice as an artist. The album is honest and tender; it is about love lost and life lost. Aspects of folk and pop are used sparingly, the most important aspect of Lucy Rose’s music being her voice. Through every track her vocals remains cool and emotive, soaring over the instrumentals in perfect form.
Work It Out by Lucy Rose was released via Columbia July 7th. Track her UK/EU tour dates here.
Dakota Smith
Follow her on twitter in case she says something funny: @LikeTheStates
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