Raina Rose

Soaking up the strong music scene in Austin, folk artist Raina Rose seems to be right at home with the community there.

Rose, whose full name is Raina Rose Klein McClellan, was raised in Portland, Oregon and began her songwriting early in life, learning to play the guitar at age eleven and blazing a musical trail ever since.

The Gypsy Moths

For a number of years, Rose was a member of the Portland folk group known as the Gypsy Moths, along with her childhood friend, Meredith Cushing. Together, the group released their debut in 2004 and performed endlessly along the west coast. A live recording followed in 2006, but the band has since broken up, each member going their own way.

Rose’s path quickly blossomed into a solo career. The songwriter has released a series of confessional, introspective albums that showcase her undying passion and her bubbly, heartfelt songs. Her first album, Despite The Crushing Weight of Gravity arrived in 2005, introducing listeners to her beautiful blend of poignant storytelling and effortless guitar-plucking. The following year saw the release of the even stronger, The Prophet, The Panhandler, and The Moon.

End Of Endless False Starts

But it’s Rose’s latest offering, End Of Endless False Starts, freshly recorded and released this year, that bring focus to her ever-sharpening talent.

Stand-outs include the album’s opener, “Are You Still In Love With The World?,” a song in which Rose is quick to reward listeners with a song both rich and poetic.

Banjo, fiddle and a lively beat help to bring “Desire” to life, a track that shows off Rose’s sharp word play.

You’re an alchemist if you can boil life down into handsome, rhyming couplets
And I think I’ll find a big ol’ man
Take fertility drugs and have sextuplets
Maybe a job at the border patrol
And I can pretend I have some control
~ Raina Rose

Rose’s “Misaligned Tires,” arrives halfway into the collection, and begins with a stark and commanding silence and maintains a dreamy haze of acoustic guitar and remarkable vocals.

The album also features the trance-inducing “I Would Like To Kiss Everyone,” a bonus track tucked at the end of a near-two minute span of silence on the record.

Rose is currently touring to support her latest release. Be sure to check out her official website which lists upcoming dates and venues and also offers additional songs to download. You’ll also find her personal blog, which Rose seems to update fairly frequently.

Through her earlier beginnings as one of the Gypsy Moths and the many songs she has written along the way, Rose is finally set to emerge as a fully fluttering butterfly – young and vibrant with a life full of beautiful songs she has yet to write.

Purchase

Official Site | CD Baby

WWW

Raina Rose – The Official Site
Raina Rose @ MySpace
Raina Rose @ Tumblr