An obsession with money, an unfaithful lover, an accidental pregnancy, misogyny, loneliness, death… This is just some of the lighthearted subject matter that make up LONER––the darkly comedic second album from songwriter/producer Caroline Rose, out February 23rd via New West. Armed with an arsenal of new instruments and equipment, an ever-growing sense of “ahhh f**k it,” two years of exploration, and a wicked sense of humor, Rose delivers a set of serious songs wrapped in a sprightly, angst-fueled pop burrito. In conjunction with the album announcement, Rose presents lead single “Money” and its accompanying video, a collaboration between Rose and director Horatio Baltz in which Rose plays all the parts and reveals her infectious spirit from the get go.
LONER began about three years ago following the release of Rose’s indie-folk-rockabilly-tinged debut album, I Will Not Be Afraid, an album penned while living in a van and traveling the country, which garnered praise from the likes of NPR and Rolling Stone. It captures the cheeky satire, comical musings, and often jarring mood swings––sometimes goofy, sometimes emotional––that make up much of Rose’s personality and marks a significant leap forward both sonically and emotionally, unleashing a burgeoning confidence teeming with character. “I needed to get more personal, more aggressive, more humorous and more sonically diverse than my older material,” says Rose. “It just felt like a bubble inside me that had been growing and was about to pop.”
Over the next year and a half, after moving into an apartment, Rose dove deep into production. She started collecting synths and recording equipment and tracking her material, eventually choosing to co-produce alongside Paul Butler at Panoramic Studios in Stinson Beach, California and their respective home studios. Rose brought to the sessions pre-recorded work the two used as a foundation off which to build, having written and arranged strings, played and recorded keys, guitar and bass, sampled layers of found and recorded sounds, and programmed synths and drums. She stepped up across the board, having a hand in mixing as well as directing creative control over all aesthetics regarding LONER, resulting in an album filled with catchy synth hooks, Ray Manzarek-esque Farfisa, surf guitar, depth of thought and a punk attitude. “I wanted to make sure everything was as me as it could possibly be.”
LONER Tracklist:
1. More Of The Same
2. Cry!
3. Money
4. Jeannie Becomes A Mom
5. Getting To Me
6. To Die Today
7. Soul No 5
8. Smile! AKA Schizodrift Jam 1 AKA Bikini Intro
9. Bikini
10. Talk
11. Animal
Pre-order LONER –
https://store.newwestrecords.com/collections/caroline-rose-loner
Caroline Rose Tour Dates:
Wed. Mar. 14 – Sat. Mar. 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
Tue. Mar. 27 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
Wed. Mar. 28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Thu. Mar. 29 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
Fri. Mar. 30 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
Sat. Mar. 31 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd
Tue. Apr. 3 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
Wed. Apr. 4 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
Thu. Apr. 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas
Fri. Apr. 6 – New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine
Sat. Apr. 7 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
Fri. May 18 – Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Music Festival
