by Ljubinko Zivkovic (@zivljub)
It took Esther Rose four album to truly develop her art, with that fourth one, Safe To Run, truly showing off her potential, both as a songwriter and performer, deserving the title of artist. Maybe it had something to do with her move to Santa Fe from New Orleans, maybe it was just a natural progression, but Rose seems to have reached her full musical maturity. It’s certainly expressed in the fact that when she writes her songs she’s able to envision them in a number of versions, with almost each one being that right one.
That aspect is fully evident on Rose’s latest EP, Safe 2 Run (Versions), which presents three new version of songs she presented on the Safe to Run album, three of which include the help of other artists - Bella White on “Chet Baker,” The Deslondes on the album’s title track, and The Lostines, on “Spider.” “Ketamine” however is a “skeletal” version of a new song that will could appear on her next album. Even with all the help, it is Rose’s songwriting and vocal delivery that dominates and shines. The guests are given that true supporting role in these almost fully stripped versions of the songs that include minimal backing and very strong vocals.
As Rose explains herself, “I am in the club standing directly before the solo songwriter on stage, absorbing everything. I think, 'I live for stripped-down performances. Why don’t I record my own music this way?' I tapped my musical family; people whose voices bring me home and stoke the fire of my now long-distance relationship with New Orleans.” Doing it this way Rose has shone a new light on her best album so far and has presented herself as an artist that will bring us even more joy.