You+Me – Rose Ave.
By George Moraitis
| Label: | RCA – 88875 02591 1, Dine Alone Records – 88875 02591 1, Sony Music – 88875 02591 1 |
|---|---|
| Format: | Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition |
| Country: | US |
| Released: | 14 Oct 2014 |
| Genre: | Rock, Pop, Folk, World, & Country |
| Style: | Folk Rock, Neofolk, Folk |
Have you ever observed that sometimes the most unlikely and unexpected pairings produce some of the most special moments in music? Let me introduce you to one of my favourite albums… Rose Ave.
In 2014, City and Colour’s Dallas Green teamed up with Alecia Moore, better known to the world as mega pop star Pink (P!nk), for the most unlikely folk duo known as ‘You+Me’. Releasing their debut album Rose Ave., the collaboration brought much curiosity to fans of both artists.
Green, known for his raspy, smoky, yet delicately smooth voice and Pink for her strong voice capable of singing anything, united to create a unique story. Having met Green through her husband, Pink later mentioned that she begged Green to make an album with her but she thought she was not good enough to make a record with him. The entire body of work was recorded in just 8 days, and the imperfect, one-take feel to the production only adds to the overall vibe that this thing was meant the be.
This music is emotionally vulnerable, very personal and unlike anything either has done before in their career. It’s the type of music you come across to pass the time on a rainy day, enjoying harmony and peace. It’s easy to get swept away by the beautiful vocal harmonies and the stripped-down honesty of the music.
‘Capsized’ starts off with a simple, strumming acoustic rhythm, illustrating Dallas Green’s exceptional vocals. Alecia’s vocals are also on point, providing balance, edge and soul to the track. The build-up towards the end creates an unreal experience, encompassing an atmosphere that is both hauntingly alluring and unsettling at the same time.
Dallas takes the high melody in contrast to Alecia’s lower register in ‘From A Closet In Norway (Oslo Blues)’, a refreshing surprise for a male-female duet. This song is a fantastic example of Green’s ability to fingerpick a beautiful melody and tells of the woes of feeling uncomfortable and a sense of disassociation. With an upbeat vibe, the song has an angelic quality yet the lyrics are sombre.
“It seems the dying are the only ones who really know how to live”.
Harmonies are executed perfectly by Green and Moore, especially in ‘Gently’. The melody is maintained with a solo guitar that works well with the two graceful voices.
The album goes up another gear with ‘Love Gone Wrong’, a bluesy soul ballad that tells the story of a relationship that went wrong and got destroyed. Just piano, guitar, and the two voices, this track best displays their ability to share the stage. Green fully shows the extent of his voice as he opens with a solo verse and sings it well without hiding behind Moore’s naturally stronger voice.
Title song ‘You and Me’ is the exquisite sweet-spot for Dallas and Alecia – an honest fusion of two incredible artists.
The delicate guitar string fingerpicking provides the foundation for a spine-tingling performance where they sing together throughout the song as an almost male-and-female Simon and Garfunkel. It’s like we’ve finally arrived at the album’s soul and we can see deep into the heart of two close friends sharing a bond that cannot be broken. It’s a song about how being there for one another is simply enough to get through the curve balls life throws at you.
“They say everything happens for a reason
you can be flawed enough but perfect for a person
someone who will be there when you start to fall apart
guiding your direction when you start to fall apart
Oh. That’s you and me.”
With its drowsy guitar, ‘Unbeliever’ boasts one of the best vocal arrangements on the record and that is definitely saying something. Their voices barely separate, except for a word or two here and there, and is the perfect demonstration of how these incredible singers blend. Along with ‘Second Guess’, these songs express the woes and dismays of relationships and trying to work through them. Wonderful musical chemistry!
With a beautiful violin introduction, Alecia mentioned that ‘Break The Cycle’ is a dedication to her mom as a thank you for all that she went through bringing her daughter up. It is a powerful, well-composed, well-produced, complicated & emotionally beguiling song that highlights both musicians’ vocals.
Winding down the album, ‘Open Door’ is a beautiful, mellow ballad about separation along with a lack of communication and understanding in a relationship. By this stage, I’ve given up trying to pick my favourite track of this album but this song is one of the emotional highs for me. It has an almost hymn-like quality that I just can’t get enough of. The closing song is a cover of Sade’s classic ‘No Ordinary Love’. Slowed down and stripped of any adornment but piano, the organic unplugged harmonies are incredible. Green is at his most gut-wrenching bare and Alecia is powerful & focussed. This interpretation of this song is seductive, emotionally charged.
Alecia says of Dallas that he has “one of the most beautiful voices that’s ever walked this earth.” Dallas speaks of his awe in watching the ease Alecia worked with and that her performances were “ripping his face off.” The result is astonishing. Rose Ave is both sullen and uplifting, moody and easy-going, restless and peaceful, distant and familiar… all at the same time. This work is a delicate balance between two artists that are so different. You + Me have redefined the term “collaboration”.
Do yourself a favour and listen to this album. It’s one of those gems that you didn’t see coming…
Tracklist
1. Capsized
2. From A Closet In Norway (Oslo Blues)
3. Gently
4. Love Gone Wrong
5. You And Me
6. Unbeliever
7. Second Guess
8. Break The Cycle
9. Open Door
10. No Ordinary Love