Rosetta West – Night’s Cross (Album Review)

Imagine a soundscape that combines blues rock, elements of psychedelia and world folk music, with sprinkles of mysticism, existentialism, spirituality and the unknown littered throughout their artistry. Combine all of that and you get the band Rosetta West, hailing from Illinois. I have been completely enchanted with their artistry, having written multiple reviews for this act. You can read them here to get a feel of their artistry and also gain some context to some of their songs. They have maintained a fiercely independent underground career with the exception of a one-time release with Alive Records.

The band consists of the founder and songwriter Joseph Demagore, who contributes to the band with his vocals, guitar work and through keyboard. Nathan Q. Scratch contributes to the band through his work in drums and percussion. It also consists of Jason X, who contributes to the band with his work in playing the bass and the keyboard as well as being the co-producer and sound engineer for their newest release, titled ‘Night’s Cross’.

Night’s Cross is a collection of blues, rock and folk songs, with the common theme of contemplation of death emanating throughout these songs. Contrary to common interpretation though, a lot of these songs are not sad- some are even joyful. It displays the multidimensionality of the concept of contemplation of death, through various perspectives, similar to an act named Px3Kauppila we’ve written about on this platform before.

Immediately as the album begins, the strong blues pulsates throughout the beats and the melodic structure of the album itself. The main vocalist’s voice to me, provides each track with a psychedelic feel. His voice also has the tone of a weary storyteller, filled with immense excitation and wisdom with each word sung.

A lot of the tracks to me, deviate from the typical trend of Rosetta West’s albums, with a chunk of the songs on this particular release being quite upbeat, even if bluesy. This could definitely appeal to people who aren’t used to a more mystical and esoteric style of music. It honestly has a lot of range. It can range from being somewhat sassy to existential at the same time. This is a good sign of competent songwriting, and an example of musical variability. This ensures that the listener isn’t bored out of their mind with a repetitive style of presenting artistry, and it also displays the high eye for detail when it comes to executing the album itself.

Towards the second half of the album, after washing through scenes of spunk and dynamic situations, the album gets a little bit more hard-hitting and edgy. It also fits the whole aesthetic within Rosetta West’s artistry, with a tendency to get dark and folksy. There are also interesting vocal quirks between the background vocals and the main vocals, which can definitely get stuck in your head not only because of its catchiness, but because of its eccentricity.

In the midst of all of this are tracks that are also more delicate and sentimental, really taking you on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the experience of this album. One thing I definitely have to point out is the skill in mastering and sound selection, as I can hear techniques specific to certain songs and topics that accentuate it, instead of using an ‘all fits one’ approach to mastering. That honestly makes the album come to life, as if this wasn’t just an album but a soundtrack to a mental film that simply goes on as you convert the musical notes and information to sceneries.

Lastly, I can’t end a Rosetta West review without pointing out the slight usage of folk and tribal rhythms littered throughout the album. It adds on to the rustic, almost perfectly antique feel of the whole album and clings you to the songs. I think this aspect of this act is also extremely unique, as they utilize these rhythms without sounding too corny- in fact, they add their own twist to it, almost making a new genre on their own accord.

Multifaceted, engaging and eccentric- Rosetta West does it again. I definitely recommend this album even if you’re not used to the genre, as it will certainly broaden your horizons.

Score/Excellent: ‘Night’s Cross’ is an extremely engaging album that borders at the intersection of a lot of blues, psychedelic and folk music. It contains very dynamic tracks that display a lot of varying emotions, with a distinct knack for mastering. It definitely doesn’t disappoint.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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