“Bite Down” is Rosali’s second record, and features 10 tracks all written by performed by Rosali. The album was produced by Rosali and James Schroeder, and features a wide array of session musicians including Ted Bois, James Schroeder and David Nance, and is Rosali’s first with Merge Records.

Rosali Middleman’s musical journey began in Philadelphia as a solo folk-rock performer, releasing her first album “Out of Love” in 2016. Hints of harder rock in her solo work eventually blossomed into more band-focused music on her most recent albums, “No Medium” and now with “Bite Down.” This transition has partially been a result of working with the band Mowed Sound, and recently relocating to North Carolina and signing on to Merge Records. Most of March and April of this year has been spent on a cross country US tour to promote the record.

“Bite Down” has many elements of an instant classic. From the opening track, each song is a world unto itself, filled with embellishments and a unique character. “My Kind,” for example, is full of energy and character, and based around a honky tonk piano and a 70s style electric guitar. A tambourine ties the instruments together by filling in any gaps. The result is 3 minutes that never feel lacking in energy and detail. 

The driving folk-rock energy of tunes like “Slow Pain” hint at the influence of 1960s and 1990s rock groups, but with a unique twist. The track opens with a brief classical guitar intro and ends with strings, and yet the instruments blend seamlessly beneath a driving distorted electric guitar. The tightness of the band makes sense knowing that this is the second album with the same band, Mowed Sound (for the most part) backing up Rosali. 

The album’s single, “Bite Down,” also showcases Rosali’s lyrical mastery. The lyrics are simple but also full of content, and purposefully leave just enough unsaid. “Put aside your foolish pride to move beyond the rising tide; what’s it worth to you?” Rosali puts just the right amount of vagueness to make the track worth relistening to.

Overall, the album is arranged and produced almost to perfection. The songs themselves are strong, diverse and energetic. Nonetheless, just because the album is essentially flawless doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an all time classic album. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but the album remains a step below the all time folk rock greats like Dylan’s 1965 trilogy or The Byrds and CSNY. To even be mentioned in the same breath as those names, however, is a great compliment in itself.

For more info, visit Rosali’s website and purchase her music here.