Raina Rose

Raina Rose is a seriously talented singer/songwriter/guitarist from Oregon who doesn't take herself too seriously. Some musicians create black holes that suck all the light, warmth, and laughter from the room because they're trying so hard to educate the audience that there's terrible injustice in the world and we're doing nothing about it. Usually, after listening to these bleak poets, what I want to say to them is, "You're right! Why am I sitting here?", turn off the CD and run away. I want to hit them in the face with a gooey cream pie. No, I'm not saying art shouldn't be informative, but there has to be a necessary balance so people don't feel like killing themselves. There has to be space for hope somewhere in there. And Raina Rose, her tongue not-so-firmly in cheek, is a mischievous tease who enlightens you without insulting your intelligence. Her music is joyful, buoyant, exhilarating, and radically silly. It's smart, grin-inducing artistry that's thankfully grounded in the real world. As George Clinton said, "Move their asses, and their minds will follow." Enjoy.