Rosemary’s Garden – La Musique Du Jardin – Review

Release Date: February 24th, 2009
Record Label: Over It Records
Genre: Folk Rock

With a band name like Rosemary’s Garden, you might think that people would be shunning it for it’s similarity to the demonic horror film Rosemary’s Baby. I mean, is this where she grew her evil turnips and planted devilish tomato plants? Or I might just be crazy and this is a four piece folk group from California that is soon to release their 2009 effort “La Musique Du Jardin.” You might question the French title, but their lead singer Michael-Louis de Terre has the Frenchiest name this side of the Bayou and translated into English it means “The Music Of The Garden,” so it can’t be all bad. I mean sometimes when I’m tirelessly digging up my backyard for treasure I put my ear to ground in hopes of hearing a nice serenade or two.

If you were hoping this album to be a truthful and sarcastic bunch of tracks filled with a multitude of metaphors and graceful folk rock then this is your lucky day. That is because in one sentence I have been able to give you taste of what to expect from “La Musique Du Jardin.” You should also know that Rosemary’s Garden feels like a hippies paradise with its carefree folk and also that Michael’s vocals sound reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. I’m not a particular fan of either of the vox mentioned but RG’s simplistic, drawn out indie rock almost feels like modern Nirvana (if imagined through the brains of a stoner in love with folk).

“La Musique Du Jardin” contains a wonderful story in its lyrics, but sadly not the excitable music to go along with it. The words may be close to your heart but the doped up pace and causal instrumentation won’t be able to keep you awake long enough to hear it all the way through. Tender piano and cherished lyrics have planted fruitful seeds in this garden, too bad the vocals and tired music are like weeds that threaten to strangle what you have worked so hard to grow. ~Staff

Score: 2/5

Track Listing:
1. Flower Song
2. Hard Times
3. Adelaide
4. I Belong To You
5. I Can’t Understand
6. Forever Lily
7. Summer Til November
8. Drowning
9. Be What You Imagine
10. Garden Song
11. Scary Song
12. Power Pop
13. Take Your Medicine
14. River Song