Truth or Consequences, the debut album from L.A. artist Chelsea Rose, is a story of dreams and heartaches, made by a musician whose commitment to her unique vision informs every part of her life. A sophisticated pop record with a timeless sound touching on bossa nova, jazz, and 60s pop, with deep lyrical introspection reminiscent of the classic 70s singer-songwriter canon, Truth or Consequences delivers a message of perseverance and personal growth that will resonate with anyone who’s ever faced challenging circumstances in love and life, and come out the other side with hope in their heart and stars in their eyes.
Rose isn’t an unknown element in indie music, having spent her twenties fronting sunshine pop group Summer Twins with her sister Justine (who now records as Easy Love). The band achieved remarkable success, releasing two full-length LPs and touring as far afield as Japan and Brazil before abruptly coming to an end when a pipe burst in Rose’s home studio the night before the final Summer Twins show, flooding the room filled with instruments, amps, and other equipment. Rather than giving up on music, Rose took this as a sign from the universe that it was time to move on—though, truth be told, the signs had already been there.
Many of the songs on Truth or Consequences were originally intended for a new Summer Twins record, but even when the band was recording them, Rose knew there was something different about the music, both stylistically and thematically. “I feel like Summer Twins was a younger version of me,” she says. “This record is like an older version that has been through a little more, been through a lot of heartbreak and facing the reality of growing up, and living in LA and struggling with making a living being an artist, and keeping that dream alive.”
Those themes are prevalent throughout the songs on Truth or Consequences, each one examining a different aspect of what Rose calls “a glimpse into my truth and into my heart, my heartaches, and my lust for just living and creating and dreaming.” On the bright “L.A.”, Rose searches for authenticity in a city she calls “...the loneliest place/ Everyone wears a different face,” before ultimately concluding that the city of dreams is where she will achieve her own. On “Fallin’,” she tells the story of star-crossed love from start to finish, bravely weighing the beauty of falling in love against the pain of a broken relationship. Throughout the record, Rose’s velvety voice is foregrounded as she sings her songs with a winning mixture of vulnerability and optimism.
Rose has created a collection of songs that feel sunny and familiar, but still brim with a worldly sensibility that’s completely authentic. With the pandemic sidelining any plans to hit the ground running after the dissolution of Summer Twins, Rose learned a lesson in patience, taking the time out to ensure that every track on Truth or Consequences was not only a true reflection of her artistic vision, but also the hard-won confidence that comes from committing fully to it.
The record’s many motifs come together in the strummy “Down the Street,” which Rose calls an artistic pep talk to herself and acknowledgement that while art is hard, the rewards are manifold when you have enough faith to release control, while still putting in the time and work. Ultimately, the message of Truth or Consequences is right there in the title—take a chance and live your truth, or bear the consequences. Whether it’s a romantic relationship or a career in a field as unpredictable as music, there’s always the risk that things won’t work out. But there’s an equal chance that they will, and so it is on the lovely and buoyant “Let Go,” where Rose offers counsel to anyone struggling to believe in their own dreams: “Reach out your hand/ It’s yours to have.” Truth of Consequences is out June 3 on paul is dead records.
Truth of Consequences is out June 3 on paul is dead records.
order Truth or Consequences on snow white vinyl from Bandcamp