Album Review

Caitlin Rose – The Stand-In

• 20th Feb 2013

The sublime talents of young American songwriter and vocalist Caitlin Rose were first heard on her 2010 debut album, the gorgeous country tinged Own Side Now. After two years of hard touring she has now returned to her Nashville base and produced a rather wonderful second album, The Stand-In.

Still only in her mid twenties, there is a real maturity to Caitlin Rose’s songwriting and she delivers her lyrics in a quite beautiful voice that has clarity and perfect pitch added to real power when it is needed. There is a much fuller and punchier sound to many of the tracks on this album, and a wider range of musical influences are apparent. There may be a country core here but there are also traces of folk, rock and blues at play too.

The twelve tracks on The Stand-In include two collaborations with The Jayhawks’ Gary Louris and a wonderful cover version of The Felice Brothers’ Dallas. Rose’s take on this impassioned tale of homesickness is heartfelt and moving, and has special resonance as it relates to the city of her birth.

The album begins in strident fashion with No One To Call, a full band, country rock track with big vocals that allow Rose to show that she can sing powerfully yet without losing any of her tone control. I Was Cruel follows, immediately taking things in a different direction with a banjo led ballad featuring soft vocals and sweet pedal steel guitar from Spencer Cullum. The sheer range of Caitlin Rose’s talents is perfectly defined in these two contrasting songs.

Waitin’ opens with a repeated drum beat that gives it a dramatic feel and the rising vocals have a delicious country twang to them. Only A Clown has an upbeat tempo and some great guitar work. Pink Champagne is slower and tender, more like the tone of Rose’s debut album. A charming love song with a real country feel, the slow pedal steel complements the vocals perfectly.

Golden Boy is dramatic and emotional with the strings in the background giving it an old style feeling as the vocals soar to a grand climax. Everywhere I Go describes the rush of first love with some lovely vocal harmonies. Silver Sings is basically a damned good pop song, while When I’m Gone adds a southern soul tinge to a song of heartbreak.

The closing two tracks again take the album into different musical territory. Menagerie is more uptempo with a country rock feel, a break up song with an edge. The tenor is defiance rather than heartbreak, and there is steel behind the exquisite vocals. Old Numbers has an old time jazz feel as a trumpet combines with slower delivery from Rose to bring late night smoky clubs to mind. It’s sassy and sexy, as nostalgia fights with regret, and it ends the album with a real touch of class.

Caitlin Rose is clearly continuing to develop as an artist. The Stand-In is a quite beautiful album that is polished and lush without ever becoming over-produced. Her lovely voice is prominent throughout and the varied musical approaches used allow the vocals to be showcased perfectly. This may be a Nashville album and it definitely has country roots, but Caitlin Rose is much more than just another country singer.

Venue: The Stand-In
Support Band: Names Records