A Not Super Long, But Not Superficial Look At Johanna Rose’s Lunar Eclipse
It’s time for the world to make room for femme and non-binary artists. Period. While reflecting on Johanna Rose’s Lunar Eclipse, I’d ask not only to make room, but roll out the red carpet for an artist who writes, records, mixes, produces, and plays five different instruments. They also made their own album art using a photo taken by Chelsea Hays, made a music video for “Loving You,” and sang all their own songs. This album feels less like a mark of self-improvement and more like Goddamn emotional ascension. But is that surprising coming from Johanna Rose, who has been processing their life, loves, questions, values, heartbreaks, family, friends, and self through music for as long as you’ve known them?
The nylon-string guitar in “Loving You,” played by Jason Jack, transports me to a small, French cafe on a sunny day, which is in contrast to many of the song’s lyrics like, “I am a letter tucked in a screen door / a shot of whisky kicked to the floor / I want you to unbreak what you broke.”
Take a look at the music video for “Loving You” crafted from Rose’s own tour footage.
In listening through “Dancing on The Water,” “Sweet Fool,” “Time I Borrowed” and “Vincent,” you can hear musical love notes being passed between Katie Lynn and Rose that extend far beyond this project and into their profound friendship, perhaps best heard in the intro to “Vincent.”
Steph Lippert and Ernest Brusubardis IV featured on “Time I Borrowed” and “Dancing on the Water,” respectively, are both long-time collaborators of Rose who add depth and instrumental mastery that elevate this album. And although Lunar Eclipse wasn’t recorded at Silver City Studios, I love hearing Josh Evert hop on drums for “Sweet Fool.”
Rose’s voice includes a blend of Midwest warmth against East Coast tones and Country Western grit that at times catches me off guard, but is also uniquely theirs, a characteristic that I admire. Their lyrics are deeply personal, sometimes raw and sometimes metaphoric, but always beautifully poetic.
Photo by Lily Shea
I personally imagine a future that mixes Rose’s current cottage folk, acoustic musical vibe with even more electric guitar and electronic sounds. I will eagerly await the next Vermont treehouse stint to see what reflection and new art come from them. Please do yourselves a favor, and listen through this album.
[Support Johanna Rose on Patreon and listen to Lunar Eclipse on Bandcamp]
“This is my cosmic emotional release, my evolution, a peace offering to my inner demons, a love letter to my soul, an acknowledgment of my heart, an end to before, and a beginning for now. <3 thank you for taking the time to listen to it! – Johanna”
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