The Roseline return with a live and loose collection.
“OK, we’re going to have a good time and we’re gonna hear some sad songs…” So, The Roseline introduce the economically titled ‘Live In Norway,’ a relaxed and rangy set recorded this year at Moskus in Trondheim, that finds the band in their natural, unconstrained form. Originating from Lawrence, Kansas, USA, and initially conceived as a folk trio under the leadership of Colin Halliburton, they have evolved into a five-piece Americana ensemble. This industrious collective has quietly released eight albums, adhering to the Pete Seeger philosophy of “Keep it small, but keep it going.” This live set draws across this rich catalogue.
Opener ‘Back of My Mind‘ has Wilco-like whimsy underpinned by a beautiful piano melody. ‘Saber Rattlers‘ weaves the political and personal, taking aim at all those who “frame compassion as the enemy.” It’s an anti-war song without the usual protest song didacticism.
‘Joy’ is, well, joyful in a defiant “here we stand” regardless of all the worldly traumas sort of way. ‘Hot Dice’ has a joyful looseness, and like a number of the songs, grooves with a mid-seventies country rock swagger. ‘Counting Sheep‘ carries the languid raggedness of mid-70s Neil Young, or a sound similar to what Neil was trying to recapture more recently with Promise of the Real. ‘Aloneness‘ and closer ‘Here For A Good Time’ breeze by with John Prine-esque smiling satisfaction.
It’s a rangy and comfortable collection unified by an energy that holds together as a piece, reminiscent of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s ‘Summer in the Southeast.‘ For all the early talk of sad songs, this is a smiling swaggering set that is both a testament to their sound and a satisfying introduction to their ever-growing oeuvre.
