Valerie Rose
Petals Of Stone
Self-released EP (2002)
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/246/valerie_rose.html

Valerie Rose, by trade a software engineer, is from San Mateo California. Her small debut EP backs breathy soprano vocals with electric folk, reggae, hard rock and metal. Much of the inspiration reportedly comes not only from British folk-rock but from classic British rock and psychedelia. She's been compared to Jacqui McShee, Annie Haslam, and Houston singer Maggie Drennan. If you are into such things, you might also compare her to Anita Auglend of The Sins Of Thy Beloved.

Tracks here range from "The Gardener," which has a relatively straightforward interpretation accompaniment that includes harp, fiddle, and inobtrusive electric guitars, to "A Maid In Bedlam" which comes right on with a sense of the ominous personified by strident buzzy metal guitars and thrashy drums. Of to one side is "When A Man's In Love" with a gentle reggae arrangement, sort of an Edward the Second interlude with a lot of strings.

Valerie's voice, though at times quite strong, has the fragility of windchimes and will endear itself to guys and to women who wear black clothing. It's always controlled; she never really lets loose, not uncommon in Celtic music. The heavy fusion is great to hear, hard to compare because there is relatively little of it. There's a sense that the band is backing Valerie rather than working with her to form one holistic band that stands alone. Really good metal is an inescapable all-encompassing experience (for instance, folk bands like Subway to Sally, Viikate, and the legendary Vada) so if that is the direction that Valerie and her boys wish to travel, this concept is one to keep in mind. But meanwhile, it's wonderful to hear the contrast of those guitars against the lightness of her voice and the harp and fiddle. And it's always great to hear another foray into Celtic-Heavy Fusion!

gennett at gorge dot net

The Columbia Gypsy