Catie Curtis – A Crash Course in Roses (1999)

Nearly every song ultimately discards the dark romance of self pity, turning hard knocks into sounds of promise. This is an album for survivors” -The Boston Globe

A Crash Course in Roses finds Boston-based singer-songwriter Catie Curtis streamlining the sound that made her 1997 self-titled release a critical breakthrough. Eschewing lush string and horn arrangements, she allows her songwriting and singing to take center stage on this 13-song set of midtempo, acoustic-flavored folk-pop. An excellent group of musicians (including Morphine drummer Billy Conway) create an intimate backdrop for Curtis’s warm, enticing voice. The spare, no-frills arrangements complement the simple honesty of love songs such as “Gave Me Love” and “Magnolia Street.”

Track Listing:

1 Gave Me Love 3:15
2 World Don’t Owe Me 3:58
3 100 Miles 5:04
4 Fall Away 3:14
5 Wise to the Ways 4:46
6 What’s the Matter 3:19
7 I’ll Cover You 4:37
8 Burn Your Own House Down 3:56
9 Roses 4:52
10 Look at You Now 4:09
11 Stay Up All Night 3:16
12 Magnolia Street 4:05
13 Start Again 7:14