Rosalie James - “Soft Target”
Photo by Julie Minichová
From her forthcoming LP, Full of Chemicals, Cornwall-based British multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Rosalie James has just revealed the new single, “Soft Target.”
For those of you who might be looking for some upbeat, ‘90s-tinged pop-rock, we highly recommend getting this one into your ears. With its wonderfully flavorful nods to alt-rock pioneers, such as Liz Phair and Juliana Hatfield, “Soft Target” is determined to hit you in the feels with a heaping helping of nostalgia.
No time is wasted here, beginning with some shimmering guitar chords and James’ delightful vocal, wonderfully displaying a Sheryl Crow nature of storytelling. A bit of melodic bass finds its place before inviting the rest of the rhythm section into the arrangement. And by fifteen seconds deep, if you’re not already vibing, you really need to get your head checked.
On the refrain, “Soft Target” reveals a layered vocal performance, consisting of a harmony that has brought us back for multiple listens. It is impossible to hear this track and not feel happy to be alive, which is one of the reasons we so often utilize music as a means of escape in the first place.
About the track, James reveals that it’s “for the generations of women who weren't diagnosed as neurodivergent until adulthood because they just seemed A Lot. It's for the 'over-sensitive drama queens,' who attracted people that liked us a little crazy and vulnerable but had nothing to give us. I'm still awkward and difficult and scared of balloons. I lost a career and I'm full of chemicals. But I'm not alone. We're not alone."
-HD