This Ain't the Way You Go Out

The jazz-imbued one-two of ‘Light As Grass’ and ‘Could You Help Me’ gives the record a rich introduction, while ‘Sail Away’ descends into a heady, dance-tinged mist; by the time the funky gratitude of ‘The Racket’ closes proceedings (“I won’t let you bring me down”), it’s hard not to be in awe of the scale of her growth and transformation in every sense of the word.

Ambitious, emotive, and completely open, it’s a gorgeous song cycle, drenched in jazz-leaning arrangements.

As good as her earlier folk-rock songs were, this new direction is one that suits Rose extremely well.

A suite of songs that are more reflective than self-pitying, and unlike her last, beats-free album, often grounded by solid grooves that allow her bewitching melodies to soar. [May 2024, p.85]

These are some of the most interesting and sonically varied songs of her entire career.

Rose is arguably still at her best on the more intimate balladry, such as on album highlights "Dusty Frames," with its rippled, watery effects, and the brittlely resilient title track. Nothing here, though, is a misfire, as Rose deftly navigates these new approaches.