Groosha is the stage name of Nastassia Vertsel, a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter originally from Belarus. She recently released Left the Town. The album is comprised of piano and vocals. It also features her singing in both Russian and English.
The music feels very pensive, dramatic and often melancholy despite how much of the language you understand. That being said some songs verge on hypnotic as if you were very seriously examining your life while others have some more levity. The fact that she was utilizing different languages was an interesting concept. I obviously didn’t mind her singing a song in English which I understand. In fact I think I preferred the way her voice sounded in Russian in some ways even though I don’t understand the language. There are plenty of songs that have a depth of emotion that I can’t understand. I think the only thing I found difficult was the one song “Wonderful People” that was sung in both English and Russian. It was in this song that I felt like I was only getting half the story. I guess I prefer to know all the lyrics of a song or none of them which is simply a personal preference. To her credit she does put the translation on her Bandcamp page but it was an extra step I had to make which I could argue mitigated the immediate impact of the song. The piano playing is exceptional throughout the album. Vertsel plays more like a classical pianist. Her playing is dynamic, nuanced and has all the qualities you hear from someone who spent a lot of time and effort trying to perfect their instrument. Vertsel takes you through various shades of emotion starting with the thought provoking and nostalgic “Left the Town.” The hypnotic quality feels elevated even more into a cerebral thought pattern on “Wonderful People.” “Fire Bird” is both melancholy and beautiful while “Commuter's” has an emotional levity to it that we haven’t heard yet on the album. The album progresses with “Love,” “Zima” and “Road to the Sea” which continue to form a foundation for the artist. Last up is “Major Minor” which is a song that hints at light on an otherwise somber album. There is no denying these songs came from the heart. That was my biggest take away no matter what language she chose to sing in. Recommended.
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