Granted, she was only 17 in 2001 when these tracks were recorded. Even so,
Rose Falcon doesn't deliver much on her debut effort, and since she generally shares songwriter credits with her father, veteran tunesmith and New Jersey rocker Billy Falcon, one can only guess at whether she can write a melody better than she sings it. Whether at medium and up-tempos, as in the
Doobie Brothers-derivative "Looks Are Everything," or something purportedly more reflective, she maintains the same deadpan, brassy timbre and sing-song phrasing; this is especially apparent on slower tracks, like "Best Friend," an apparent tribute to a deceased mother, on which the vocal avoids syncopation as if it were a sign of disrespect, except to pronounce "sky" with odd frivolity, as a two-syllable word. Stylistically, Rose Falcon might be described as a teenage simulation of
Patty Griffin. What's missing is an insightful lyrical perspective and an ability to convey even a bit of expression; it's difficult to listen to any of her work and imagine her smiling, grimacing, or being otherwise animated. Even
Britney Spears can communicate in these areas, which suggests that
Falcon might have benefited by waiting for a while -- maybe until voting age -- before going on record. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk