Great art holds a mirror up to the world; exposing its many flaws, highlighting its beauty and screams back the question we are all too afraid to ask. It’s this dichotomy that Rose Fatale bring to their new single ‘So Mature’. A riotous three and a half minutes inspired by 90’s riot grrrl queens Bikini Kill, Hole and Babes In Toyland. Amidst the cranked guitars, vocalist Anna wraps her sardonic tongue around the normalisation of grooming by those in a position of influence in the music scene. A situation which, regrettably, happens all to often. The band aren’t afraid to cast their eye over the world around them and set their sights on its shortcomings. The beauty of self-expression through music juxtaposed with the rage that fuels it, means they leave the mirror fractured and broken.
The scream that begins new single ‘So Mature’ was captured during the recording process as a christening party raged below the recording studio. One of those happy magic accidents that you then can’t imagine the song without. It seems apt given the subject matter and sets the tone for the next 3 minutes. Punk rock overdriven guitars fill out the song, Josh’s drums propel things forward with machine gun fills over the snare and toms with some Stuart Copeland-esque bell and hi-hat work. Cleo’s bass is a melodic counter part for Anna’s vocals, adding some sea-sick slides to the pre-chorus along with the tension building guitars. The chorus hits and the band don’t hold back, Liams ascending lead part helps add energy along with Josh’s hi-hats. Lyrically, Anna adopts a Trojan Horse approach, wrapping a serious message up in sarcasm with a knowing elbow to the ribs. ‘He’ll give you the time of your life, he’s had plenty of practice, he’s a man of 29’ follows the hook of the song ‘You’re 17, you’re so mature for your age’. It’s a deft way to handle an emotive and sensitive subject. A screaming solo, and some dying distortion takes us into the middle of the song for a complete tone change as the band pull back and get dark, before they launch into the final charge.
