By Colette Custin
Long Island singer-songwriter Caroline Rose had the audience at Thalia Hall in the palm of their hand from start to finish this week during their Chicago stop on the current tour.
Backed by a dynamite band who adeptly handled the intricacies of Rose’s songs like “The Doldrums” and “Love Song for Myself,” Rose touched on most of their new album, 2023’s The Art of Forgetting. Rose’s style varies, at times leaning almost into indie pop that fits in nicely with contemporaries like Snail Mail, but the new material requires a bit more of the listener, touching on electronic elements and more complex arrangements that span a musical pallet, as in “The Doldrums,” which featured a thumping electronic beat behind loops and Rose’s delicate vocals.
Contrast that against “Feel the Way I Want” from 2020’s Superstar, which would be at home in any era of dance pop since the ‘80s. Live, Rose was an effortless force, shifting from softly strummed melodies to belting hooks in front of a psychedelic light show, combining thrilling visuals with the band’s dynamic presence.
Caroline Rose – Thalia Hall, Chicago, 4/16/2024
Tell Me What You Want Rebirth
The Doldrums
Miami
Stockholm Syndrome Everywhere I Go I Bring the Rain Love Song for Myself
Getting to Me
More of the Same
Jeannie Becomes a Mom
Feel the Way I Want
Do You Think We’ll Last Forever? Someone New
Money
I Took A Ride
The Kiss
Where Do I Go From Here?
