Maggie Rose has been a quiet force in the country world for several years now, first getting mainstream attention with the clever “Girl in a Truck Song” in 2014 and since earning critical praise for her most recent EP Dreams > Dollars, which was released earlier this year. The Nashville-based artist recently spent some time in the studio working on new songs, two of which you can hear below.
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Rose and her 11-piece band recorded the tracks in Nashville, capturing each in just one take. Band members included players from the Morrison Brothers Band and Them Vibes, as well as some of Rose’s own musician pals, who have played with folks like Kelly Clarkson and Steven Tyler.
First cut “Just Getting By” is a laid back love song about the unglamorous joy of real-life relationships. Rose wrote that tune, which has the kind of infectious melody that can bridge the gap between pop country and R&B, with producer and songwriter Chad Carlson. “Pull You Through,” co-written with Larry Florman and Alex Haddad, is a soulful showstopper, with a slow-burning arrangement that allows plenty of room for Rose to show off her powerhouse vocals.
Both new songs are now available as a digital 45. Listen to “Just Getting By” and “Pull You Through” (and read a little background info on each from Rose) below.
“Just Getting By”
“We have these expectations of ourselves and compare our progress to others’ and when things don’t go as planned, we have an opportunity to show ourselves,” Rose says. “As newlyweds who are in business together, my husband and I have made a lot of sacrifices for my music and it has brought us so much joy, but it has also put pressure on us and our relationship at times. We recognize the beauty in the struggle, but sometimes you just have to tell each other that the struggle won’t always be there, even if you can’t be sure.”
“Pull You Through”
“I wrote this with two of my closest friends, which really helped me tap into the intimacy of this song about unconditional love,” Rose says. “In order to give it the timeless feel we wanted it to have, we gave the song a throwback arrangement and production. The 6/8 feel, the background vocals and the lyrics are intended to conjure almost a spiritual feeling surrounding the love we’re writing about. My grandparents passed away seven weeks apart shortly after we wrote this song and I think of them and their love every time I sing the last verse.”
