South Texas Suite

Shortly after the release of her 2015 debut, Heartbreaker of the Year, Whitney Rose adopted Austin, Texas as her hometown. South Texas Suite, a 2017 mini-LP, is her valentine to her new home, six songs inspired by the sights and sounds of the Lone Star State. Images of bluebonnets, boots, bands, and old records fill the songs, every one conjuring a distinct Texas tradition. Rose tries on a barroom waltz ("Analog"), a bit of Tex-Mex ("Three Minute Love Affair"), straight-ahead twang ("My Boots"), an old-fashioned slow dance ("Bluebonnets for My Baby"), a plaintive sad song ("Lookin' Back on Luckenbach") and Western swing ("How 'Bout a Hand for the Band"). A large part of the charm -- and the success -- of South Texas Suite is how it was written by an outsider who has a keen eye and ear for the quirks of Texas. Rose sees Texas clearly but, better still, she's still on her honeymoon with the state, so South Texas Suite is infused with genuine passion: it's a love letter to the Lone Star State. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine