The Rose Society

"Loose have grabbed another gem from [Portland, Oregon's Fluff & Gravy label] here. Rockne comes from northern California and, on her second album, generally lets things unravel at a stately pace. All stealth, organ simmer and discreet programmed strings, "The Undoing"is a kind of country-tinged torch song, while the exceptional "Protection, Prayers And Vigilance" adds blurry electric guitar, and a hitherto restrained psychedelic dimension, to the slow-burn. There's a touch of Emmylou Harris to Rockne's gravitas and trills, and also something less rootsy, more ethereal and soulful. A bigger budget might have amped up the grandeur, fleshed out the fine songs with authentic string sections, but it might also have lost some of the otherness that makes 'The Rose Society' a real find".