Brooklyn-based R&B artist Rosehardt (aka Caleb Eberhardt) releases a cool, contemplative number today: “Goddamn.” You can hear the song above.
The relaxed vibe of the song gives Rosehardt’s voice space to do some serious thinking. Warm keys and a low hum of a bass are all he needs to set the mood. It’s the sound of someone questioning their faith and their identity, expertly manifested through the call and response of Rosehardt’s switching between sung and rapped vocals. The vocals carry the weight of the song, using their juxtaposition to
help manifest the personal tension in the lyrics.
“Goddamn” comes ahead of the release of Rosehardt’s debut album, Songs In The Key Of Solitude. The album title is a play on Stevie Wonder’s 1976 Motown classic, Songs In The Key Of Life, a sprawling double LP that Wonder used to channel his anger about the state of the world into something positive and ultimately uplifting. Though it seems ambitious for a newcomer like Rosehardt to invite comparison to such a great, he’s not far off.
Prior to his solo work as Rosehardt, Eberhardt cut his chops as one half of the hip hop duo Quincy Vidal.
Songs in the Key of Solitude will be available on 4/6 via Styles Upon Styles.
