“Los Angeles”
from the EP From the Decker House
2006
iTunes
MP3 – “Los Angeles” [right-click/save-as]
Imagine packing up the backpack, climbing on the motorcycle and taking a month-long road trip across the Real America — the small towns, back streets and regular-joe type of joints that litter every state. Now imagine your touring companions are John Lennon and Johnny Cash. You’d be in for one hell of a vacation, wouldn’t you?
The Rosewood Thieves’ debut EP, From the Decker House, is a lot like that trek across the byways and back roads with the Man in Black and the Working Class Hero. Basking in a remarkably classic, yet fresh, approach to roots rock that channels the Best Beatle and a love for Americana without venturing too deeply into rock ‘n’ roll resurrection fantasies. Naturally, From the Decker House doesn’t match the magic of Lennon or Cash, but it sure basks in the glory of those songwriters’ efforts.
The band, which hails from Deposit, N.Y., settles down into a groove that matches Lennon’s more straightforward solo moments with the weight of decades of American roots-rock. It’s such a workable hybrid, it’s surprising nobody else wandered across the Rosewood Thieves’ formula before this. The band’s more than German-engineered rock promises, however, as the Thieves manage enough raw talent to make this EP more than an exercise in mix ‘n’ match influences. “Back Home in Harlem” slices up bits of everything from Three Dog Night to the Kingsmen, buffering it all with singer/guitarist Erick Jordan’s cracking delivery adding an indelible similarity to Lennon’s work. “Doctor” and “Los Angeles” stake a claim in a hitherto undiscovered territory between late-era Beatles and modern alt-country. “Lonesome Road” travels the roots-rock highways with an honesty so rare in this era when Americana’s a gimmick more than a reliance upon tradition.
If this EP is the first glimpse of a still-developing band, mark down the Rosewood Thieves’ name now. If the Thieves continue to perfect and polish this sound, it’ll be on the tip of every rock-obsessing hipster’s tongue, scrawled across every wanky blog on the ‘Net and spinning during setup and breakdown at every third club show you attend.
I’m likin’ the blog…glad you found the Rosewood Thieves EP…I wanted to let you know that I have their KEXP radio session MP3’s up on my music blog, “Doctor Mooney’s 115th Dream.” (http://doctormooney.blogspot.com) They played five songs and did an interview! The posting is from November 7, 2006, so you’ll have to scroll down a bit…check it out when you have the time.
Set List
Los Angeles
There You Go (Again)
Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You
Untitled
Harlem
Thanks!
Cheers,
DoctorMooney
http://doctormooney.blogspot.com
here are the lyrics to “cold in the country”. i haven’t seen them anywhere else.
i got a feeling
something’s headed my way
i don’t know when it’ll get here
or how long it will stay
so i’ll wait forever
for somebody to find me here
soon we’ll be together
i’ve been alone for all these years
oh, it’s cold in the country
there’s leaves on the ground
all the streets are empty
there’s nobody in town
and i got a feelin
that you’ll be back around
so i’ll wait forever
for somebody to find me here
soon we’ll be together
i’ve been alone for all these years
ah, for so many years
i’ve been alone
all alone
soon we’ll be together
soon we’ll be together
soon we’ll be together
i’ve been alone for all these years