Rosellas: Godney Gathering, This Feeling Stage

Manchester’s Rosellas recently played the This Feeling stage at the Somerset festival Godney Gathering and we were there to check them out.

All photos courtesy of Rhona Murphy

With the sun finally appearing, their blissed-out rock ‘n’ roll was perfectly timed. The dreamscapes of ‘Switch Off’ floated in and out of the ether like otherworldly messages of hope. Meanwhile, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ and ‘The Same Curse showcased songwriting talent beyond their fledgeling years.

A step back to 2021’s ‘Damaged’ and even further to a cover of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ saw the band take the Gidney faithful to another realm. Gentle sways gave way to souls being freed as their dramatic guitars took hold.

An undeniable set from a band destined for great things.

Rosellas: The Star, London

Last Friday, Manchester’s Rosellas filled the intimate venue of The Star in London as part of their tour with This Feeling.

*banner image courtesy of the band.

It follows the recent release of their new single, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ which showed signs of a breakthrough as the sold-out crowd visibly grew in voice for their new melodic offering. In its protracted intro, the little touches of John Martyn’s masterpiece ‘Small Hours’ took the melodic tumble and soar gem to another level.

Tempering this newfound gentler sonic was an array of jaw-dropping psychedelic adventures. ‘Before the Storm’ swelled with the indie anxieties of Doves’ debut and Nick McCabe's explorative introspection before erupting into a modern-day Aphrodite’s Child.

‘Come Alive’ echoed with rock music’s mysticism. Spaced out and seeking something bigger than themselves, they sought meaning through life’s struggles with a tangible purity in the room. Drew Selby and Euan Mail’s guitars, powered by ‘A Storm in Heaven,’ drifted in the mire until a modern-day Andy Bell solo erupted with psychedelic clarity to transcend souls.

The band's growing stature, the songs, and the crowd just went on and on. Rosellas creatively looked like a collective, spiritually hedonistic gang built on togetherness. The songs, lifted to colossal in places (Switch Off), stripped to DMA’s magic in others (The Same Curse), seemingly at the will of this astonishing prospect of a band. The sold-out crowd filtered up the tight stairwell, giddy to smugness, knowing they were treated to something truly special before huge stages came the band's way.

Rosellas – Is It Any Wonder?

Manchester’s five-piece returned on Friday with their new single, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’. Backed by the two B-sides ‘Leaving For Chicago’ and ‘For Tonight’, it's their first new material since last November’s ‘The Last Curse’.

*Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Last time out, they moved from the devilment and Nick McCabe atmospheric work on their Somewhere In-Between EP to a straight-line indie-rock. It was a fine counterpoint to their broodier moments. On ‘Is It Any Wonder?’, they’ve stripped everything away to allow their melody to do the talking.

Their time on tour with Starsailor appears to have paid dividends. The acoustic guitars bring the 00s starlets to the fore whilst the delicacy of the piano brings Thirteen Senses purity into play. Above all, they’ve given their melodies space to breathe. In an age where technology demands instant hooks, it’s not just refreshing; it's creatively brave!

‘Is It Any Wonder?’ is backed by the b-sides ‘Leaving For Chicago’ and ‘For Tonight’. The former is a forlorn yet positive moonlit melody which embodies everything great about Noel Gallagher’s songwriting. ‘For Tonight’, completely stripped back, caresses the lo-fi magic of Alfie and the melodic purity of Cherry Ghost, and, with that, Rosellas have proven to the world they can do it all.

Rosellas - Somewhere Inbetween

Manchester’s Rosellas have released their new EP ‘Somewhere Inbetween’ via This Feeling Records. The EP was written by the whole band and produced by Oliver Shillito. Image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR>

Former singles ‘Switch Off’ and ‘Hideaway’ catapulted Rosellas to the front of the pack of The UK’s band scene in recent months. Their smooth rock ‘n’ roll pre-pandemic began to spark with a directness that didn’t demand attention, it took it. On ‘Switch Off’, they bridge that older sound to their new fire with an effortless that leaves no one behind. Frontman Drew Selby slots into a vocal groove honed on the likes of ‘Slowdance’ and ‘Common Ground’ but, now a brash, desperate sense of purpose looms lyrically and sonically.

This compulsion is doubled down on ‘Hideaway’. Selby’s vocal more urgent, willing to fray at the edges is partnered with the more celestial moments of The Verve’s classic ‘A Northern Soul’. With Shillito at the helm, they’ve found a space to sprinkle the psychedelic nuggets of the Byrds and Shack alongside their newfound sprawling power.

‘Bare Your Soul’ and the new single ‘Come Alive’ tread similar paths structurally, culminating in Selby’s sublime guitar parts. The former unites the more immediate moments of ‘The Second Coming’ with the melodic supremacy of ‘Urban Hymns.’ As Selby decrees “so come on, speak it easy” images of Haigh Hall, Knebworth, and Heaton Park glint in the eye. Ollie Appleby’s basslines create a tumultuous fog that allows Euan Mail and Selby’s guitars to emerge in a visceral blaze of glory.

The EP closes out with a glimpse of what is yet to come from this fine band. ‘Thunderstorming’ goes beyond the immediacy of teenage kicks and explores the world of Oasis b-side ‘Shout It Out Loud’ with hints of Neil Young’s ‘Cortez The Killer’. It witnesses the band moving into MOJO's front cover territory.

The Rosellas have begun a new chapter on this EP. Their inclination to reflect thoughtfully is now dancing with the kind of rock ‘n’ roll that the UK yearns for on big stages. It’s only a matter of time.

Rosellas – Hideaway

Manchester’s Rosellas kicked off their UK tour last Thursday in fine style at London’s Grace. Marking the occasion was the release of their new single ‘Hideaway’.

To date, Rosellas have been a band with great promise. Single after single they showcased something fresh and, on ‘Hideaway’ they have pulled it all together. It’s a thunderous piece of rock-psyche that brings the five-piece out of indie’s shadows into the main stage spotlight.

The great harmonies developed on the ‘Slowdance’ and ‘Damaged’ are enhanced by a more direct approach to the guitar parts. Gone are the chilled stoner lo-fi guitars and in their place are bullish licks destined for stadiums. Squire’s flair collides with McCabe’s introverted genius on this brooding epic.

Many bands have a penny-drop moment. For The Libertines, it was seeing The Strokes live. Out went the 60s flower power melodies and in came the debauched punk we know and love. For the Rosellas, it’s the injection of aggression to their love of Shack and The Smiths. It’s taken the band to another level that few today can compete with.

*banner image courtesy of Fear Pr and Barnaby Fairley

Click the image for tickets to the Rosellas’ current tour: