Album review: Clara Rose "The Offering"

How often have you listened to an album and found one or two tracks really engaging and maybe been indifferent to the rest? Not so with this album. I listened to Clara Rose’s ‘The Offering’ on the lengthy commute this morning and a number of things struck me.

Firstly Clara’s dynamic vocal strength and versatility. Wow. From that of a controlled blues belter (Nobody’s Girl)  to sensitive folk balladeer (Tightrope Walker) to an Alt. Country lamentation (Queen of The Night Radio) to a Stax soul songstress ( Love Sweet Love) to a smoky lounge jazz chanteuse ( Cardboard City Blues) ...she does it all!

Secondly and returning to an earlier point, my next challenge was to pick a stand-out track for the podcast. What a challenge! Here is an album that has energy, veracity and an engaging quality from beginning to end.

Thirdly, what music genre best fits this album? It straddles a lot of my favourites; blues, blues rock, soul (old school rhythm and blues), alt. country and roots. I could throw in Americana but I find the term US-centric and unbefitting of music that draws its inspiration from many sources. I’ll continue to stick to 'roots' which is more appropriate especially when appraising this musician from Maynooth, Ireland.

Fourthly, a confession! The due attention I give to an album these days is nothing like it was 30 to 40 years ago. Why? The transition of technologies from vinyl, to CD and now MP3 and the web puts more on one’s plate these days. With so much to consume one spends less time appreciating the individual morsels. I cannot remember the last time the night was spent focused and absorbed by one album.ONE album!. Maybe that in part accounts for the renewed popularity of vinyl. It declutters and gives time and space for one to appreciate the morsels. Well here is an album that has motivated me to declutter. Tonight I'll be spending it with just 'The Offering'.

David Stoeckel
11/05/2018

PS What track for the podcast? Couldn't decide so I will present a different one over a series of podcasts starting with Podcast 300!

Web https://www.clararosemusic.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clararosemusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2l9ZiwochVr3rM4diNgLEK
CD Baby https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/clararose4
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-offering/1347108546