Glide Magazine has called D.L. Rossi “one of the new roots Americana voices to be heard in 2019.” As soon as I hit play on the first track of his album due out next Friday, I knew they were on to something. Rossi has a deep voice that helps him stand out from the crowd and virtually demands that you listen.
Rossi has been through a lot in his life, including a battle with testicular cancer and a failed marriage. Like many creative people, he has taken his pain and turned it into art. With his A Sweet Thing LP, he is taking his listeners on an emotional journey. It is fitting that a song called “The Road” is the first song on the album.
There’s a lot of self-reflection on this album. In the first verse of “Better,” Rossi sings, “I lost a lot/ But I also lost myself/ Doing things I never thought I’d do.” In the song, he doesn’t make excuses for the things that he’s done and he’s owning some of his mistakes. The lyrics are extremely powerful. By listening to Rossi’s self-reflection, I think he’s also encouraging those that listen to his LP to honestly examine themselves and use that to become the best version of themselves.
One of my favorite songs on this album is “More Seconds,” a song that serves that a reminder that we get only one life and we have to make the most of it. The idea of wishing for more seconds is one with which I could personally identify.
Even though Rossi is singing about some dark times, none of the songs come across as negative or depressing. In fact, there is an element in some of these songs that is hopeful that something better is coming. I believe this album works for two reasons: the quality of the songwriting and Rossi’s talents. Although I feel like these songs are most effective when listened to as an album, any of these songs are strong enough to stand on their own.
Rick Amburgey is an experienced journalist and country music fan. He can be contacted on Twitter at @ViewsCountry.