The marvel of Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams lies in lucidity; the simplest guitar chords are a backdrop for country music’s most memorable melodies, and seemingly pedestrian turns of phrase take on universal meaning, ripe for interpretation. Esther Rose plays in that same sandbox, and her penchant for recording straight to tape landed her album “This Time Last Night” into the hands of Jack White, who featured her vocals on his 2018 record “Boarding House Reach.” Rose carved out a niche as a singer and percussionist in New Orleans’ traditional blues and jazz scene before the songwriting bug bit, and if “Don’t Blame It on the Moon” is any indication, her forthcoming sophomore album will be painted in the same stunningly simple palette as the first: tender, lilting and austere.
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