When I first heard Rosetta West’s new single “Dora Lee (Gravity)”, I was gripped. There’s a lot going on, both musically and visually, and it demands attention. Rosetta takes a hard blues rock vibe and blends it with strange, even mystical stories. It’s rough and intense and has both riffs and lyrics that evoke a world of darkness. The gravelly vocals are backed up by a strong, seductive beat. Joseph Demagore sounds like he’s on a mission, calling from another realm. These are the words of a man who’s been changed by a stranger woman — she’s not just his lover, she’s also his undoing.
The visuals add to this sense of danger and confusion. We watch as the narrator (a hardened tank commander) begins to lose his mind. Then, goddess-like women appear, one after another. Each carries a name — Ishtar, Kali, Hecate, and others. They don’t seem to be costumed characters or props. They feel like manifestations of something bigger than a human’s control. Each goddess-like woman reveals something about the man’s state of mind. And there’s a disconcerting way in which they’re all tied together — war, seduction, power, violence, chaos, and destruction — everything comes together with a psychedelic bent. It’s dark, weird, and unsettling, and it won’t let go once the music is over.
Rosetta West has never been afraid to push boundaries, and “Dora Lee (Gravity)” is no exception. The video is gritty and strange, not carefully polished in a way that’s commercial. That’s exactly why it stands out. It feels real, and it feels alive. The Gravity Sessions series promises more of this realness, and if this is any indication, the songs will be just as intense. If you’re a fan of hard blues rock or you’re looking for something that has real bite, this is worth listening to and watching (and probably worth watching again).
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