Black Tar Roses, a dark folk Americana group from Plymouth in the United Kingdom, released “Lady Noir,” their lead single off their upcoming album, on July 22nd. The highly anticipated 10-track album by Black Tar Roses, entitled Black Tar Roses’ Travelling Emporium, is set to be released on August 8th. The group consists of Darren Long on guitar and vocals, Darren’s wife Sally on vocals and percussion, Ian Stewart on bass, Anna Crabtree on violin, and John Maddock on banjo, mandolin, and cittern.
“Lady Noir” opens with all of the instrumentalists creating a somewhat mysterious and haunting sound before Sally’s vocal melody comes in. The verses are split between Darren and Sally, while the choruses feature the two singing together. This helps to create a more passionate chorus while maintaining the mysterious and haunting sound of the verses.
The subject matter of “Lady Noir” centers on addiction and the struggles of being drawn towards one’s vice despite knowing that it is killing you. However, before the first chorus of “Lady Noir,” Black Tar Roses don’t explicitly mention cocaine, which instead makes the first verse sound as if the group is singing about a bad romantic relationship. In doing so, Black Tar Roses expertly juxtaposes drug addiction with a toxic interpersonal relationship and it is only after the first chorus that this juxtaposition reveals itself.
This song is very dear to Darren Long, having been told he had six months to live if he kept up his drug habits, which resulted in him quitting and visiting rehab thirteen years ago. For the music video of “Lady Noir,” Black Tar Roses return to a rehabilitation boat to help drive a point home to a dear friend of the band.
“The single was written for a friend trapped in the grip of cocaine addiction and its video was shot on Olga – one of the boats in the Tectona Trust fleet and the last original Bristol pilot cutter to be built in Porthleven in 1909. Sally and I worked on the premise for the video together and the results speak for themselves.” – Black Tar Roses
Check out the music video here!
Be sure to follow Black Tar Roses on social media and don’t forget to check out “Lady Noir” and Black Tar Roses’ Travelling Emporium when it is released on August 8th!
Words by Brendon Gardner