ROSETTA WEST is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist Joseph Degmore. 'Illumination' is their latest independent release. It is comprised of 14 tracks of raunchy, raw, blues-based garage rock. It sounds terrible like any garage record should. Most of the percussion is simple bass drum, snare and tambourine. Most of the bass guitar is buried in the mix and the guitar sounds like it was run through a portable battery powered amp and miked. And you know what? It sounds great! From the opening riff of the first track 'My Life' you know you are in for a hook-laden raunch of a ride. Degmore's voice at first sounds better suited for classic hard rock. He sounds like a combination of Joe Cocker, Paul Stanley and John Cafferty (remember him?). Once you get used to it and realize this guy is a bad motherfucker, it fits perfectly. "Bible Bangin' Blues" is just flat-out dirty. There is a ton of blues in this guy, and plenty of rock‘n’roll. Their rendition of 'Spoonful' is dark, haunting and downright brilliant. It's great to hear a different twist on such an old classic, especially when handled this well.

ROSETTA WEST have been described by 'Modern Fix' as a “low-rent QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE”, which is fair. I think they could be described more accurately as the white R.L. Burnside. The guitar playing is sloppy and full of great hooks. An album like this had better be full of slop, otherwise it wouldn't work. The result works on the most guttural level. Hopefully ROSETTA WEST will continue releasing great albums in the future and get the exposure they deserve.

- Peters

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