Nora Rothman
Nora Rothman EP
Reviewed by: Ziggy Merritt
Nora Rothman has made a career out of being someone hard to box into a corner. From the realm of acting to political campaigning, there’s little that she hasn’t dabbled in during her still burgeoning career. Through it all a passion for music has scarcely appeared to ebb, instead growing with intensity as the years passed. The result of that growth is a self-titled debut EP that captures a refreshingly honest reflection on love and the disappointment that comes with it. Tackled with a directness emboldened by Rothman’s improvisational jazz-textured vocals, her five-track debut is a promising start.
Opening up, “Truth or Dare” awakens as the album’s keystone. Built upon rich and harmonic acoustics, it’s one of those few tracks that, for a moment, can take me out of the mindset of someone who has to write up a constructive yet critical album review. There’s an all-encompassing warmth as the vocal peaks and valleys of Rothman’s expressive alto vocals resonate with such practiced symmetry alongside understated acoustic bass and guitar. The blend of those disparate elements is produced in such a way that each part feels intrinsic to the whole.
Yet, the track’s identity as the EPs keystone should not be forgotten. While everything else here is pleasant and pretty, there are few moments that recall “Truth or Dare”’s distinctive tone and, without the aid of a strong opener, would begin to diminish in strength. “Lillies” adopts a more traditional folk melody that smooths out much of the vocal jazz flavor to the track’s detriment. To its credit, a taste of that is regained in the final minute long stretch of pure percussive bass, but the time it takes to get there feels labored. On the other hand, “Notes to My Ex-Lover” relies too much on Rothman’s higher register to jump start the pace before things take off.
Even so, there’s few moments where the album feels a chore to get through. Perhaps that comes down to the strength of her expression. Rarely does Rothman hide behind innuendo or misdirection. Sensual or silly, her experience with lovers past and present is visible and even against the album’s remarkable production remains the highpoint of her debut.
Rating: Listenable
