Band To Watch: Blue Roses

Not to be confused with Dan Bejar's labor of love, Blue Roses is the performing name of Yorkshire singer-songwriter Laura Groves. Back home, she's landed at the fertile NME/BBC/Guardian intersect of critical kudos, but things States side are set to launch with the XL release of her self-titled, self-produced debut next month. Blue Roses cites an alliterative gaggle of influences on her introspective, heart-worn folk -- "Bartók to Bush, Tiersen to Tears For Fears, Debussy to Du Maurier" -- to which you could safely add your favorite coffee shop chanteuse (Leslie, Joni, Joanna) and probably find a moment to back it up. Ultimately Laura's writing never approaches the most innovative and extreme aesthetics of her RIYL list, but she's clearly listened well, and in command of a pristine, flexible, endearing voice. Her best look comes on the sublime marimba-waltz of "Doubtful Comforts," which recalls Feist's spin with Grizzly Bear on "Service Bell" before it spreads into a line of classical, ascending intervals, and then a crackling reprise. Pair that MP3 with the open-road finger-picked folk of "I Am Leaving" for another side to her stylings.

Blue Roses - "Doubtful Comforts" (MP3)
Blue Roses - "I Am Leaving" (MP3)

Blue Roses is out 7/21 via XL. She recently did a session for Steve Lamacq's Radio 2 show, and you can hear a couple more at MySpace.

[Photo by Danny North]

Posted at 1:41 PM in Band To Watch, MP3
Tags: Blue Roses

13 Comments

great job on putting her in this list - her music is really great for a quiet summer day.

Posted by: Thierry's Taffy Tears at 06/30/09 2:08 PM | Reply
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Lindsay Weir?

Posted by: douglas fir at 06/30/09 3:07 PM | Reply
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Influenced by Bush, huh? Yeah, Gavin Rossdale's music has touched a lot of people.

Posted by: Johnnyboy at 06/30/09 4:09 PM | Reply
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Just in case you weren't joking around Bush= Kate Bush.

Posted by: podcastrant in reply to Johnnyboy's comment at 06/30/09 5:28 PM | Reply
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I couldn't stop thinking about Laura Barrett while listening: http://www.myspace.com/laurabarrett

Posted by: dorothy at 06/30/09 4:52 PM | Reply
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Sounds lovely. Like St. Vincent meets Bat for Lashes, pre-synth styles.

Posted by: d33r at 06/30/09 5:51 PM | Reply
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Love love love it.

Posted by: wendywayrad at 06/30/09 9:50 PM | Reply
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sounds a bit like ida maria

Posted by: Mariana at 07/01/09 11:47 AM | Reply
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"Doubtful Comforts" is very Laura Barrett ( a Canadian Gem in Toronto)
http://www.myspace.com/laurabarrett

Posted by: blang at 07/01/09 11:47 AM | Reply
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She sounds interesting. I think i'll check her out later.

Posted by: Lindsay at 07/01/09 2:48 PM | Reply
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Where can you get her album(s)? I can't seem to find them anywhere...

Posted by: goodwilldrums at 07/02/09 12:48 PM | Reply
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You must've missed the part where it says the album is out July 21.
It is not July 21 yet.

Posted by: rtfa in reply to goodwilldrums's comment at 07/07/09 8:13 PM | Reply
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The album is quite impresive when you let the songs grow on you...
Coast is my favourite song on the album.

Posted by: frederic at 07/05/09 4:55 PM | Reply
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