Rosetta West – Ready To Go (Single Review)

One of the most fluid and eclectic acts of our time, the Illinois-based blues rock band Rosetta West, is back with a new single titled ‘Ready to Go‘. Their artistry has been full of surprises and musical variability, never leaving you bored for even a second with the intuitive and special way they perceive and navigate through the world of music. They have a knack for mixing scales, modes as well as sensibilities through music, making it where every single they’ve created thus far seem more like an experience rather than merely another single to listen to.

For a recap and a more extensive deep-dive into their other singles, click here for all the context you need before diving into this wonderfully enriching soundscape.

This single is described as the lament of a man experiencing a deadly fever, and also perhaps, a demonic possession, priming himself to say goodbye to the world and his lover. In typical Rosetta West style, they have incorporated various elements of world music and psychedelia in this song as well.

This time, it bears elements of Romani folk mixed with mandolins, violins as well as eccentric vocal echoes. It’s a song brimming with love from the heart of darkness that will satisfy people with a taste for musical variability from bands without losing their particular niche. Without further ado, let’s get on the track.

The song begins with a strong and definite tone of the stringed instruments, one electric and one pretty organic- the combo of both instruments layered make it sound quite distinct and unordinary, leaving more to the imagination. It also provides the song with a form of mystic melancholy and darkness at the same time.

The vocals follow through, matching the main melodic sequence of the song itself. The use of an interesting folk scale is quite apparent, mixed with Blues flairs as well as a psychedelic lick every measure. This song is extremely hauntingly captivating and folksy at the same time- it almost reminds me of what Bela Bartok would’ve been drawn to in his studies of folk music.

The cadence of the melody is almost like a chant, before it goes into a more tender, drawn-out sequence. Mimicking the productional aspects of the stringed instruments, the vocals are also layered with various tones, adding on to the allure of the hauntingness of the track at the same time. The addition of violin strings help to give the song a richer emotional tone, without detracting from the main compositional elements of the song.

I also notice detail put towards panning the vocals and the background vocals itself, giving the track a hyperdimensional feel- it does not lack any emotion, this song is so rich it feels like it goes through all emotions at once through the lens of darkness, which I think definitely correlates with the artistic intent of the song itself.

Honestly, this song is quite addictive to me. It has all the marks of a captivating song. It has a ‘trance-like’ element to the cadence of the melody that will keep you hooked, as the other productional and instrumental qualities add on to the emotional soundscape and help to develop the motif of the main melody.

The vocalist also stands out to me as a separate instrument itself, with the earnestness and the depth in his voice definitely helping to keep the song within the bounds of what it wished to convey. This is not surprising though, given the excellent track record of Rosetta West’s artistry and knack for good production. Highly recommended.

Rating/Excellent – Rosetta West returns with a captivating and enthralling track titled ‘Ready To Go’, that explores the dimensionality of emotion this time instead of whimsicalness. The track will take you through a sincere and delicate journey, as the earnest sounds hug your senses and sensibilities.

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