Along with Kirsty MacColl, today’s band is my favorite discovery so far of my 1993 edition of the Decades series.
Madder Rose was an alt-rock band fronted by lead singer Mary Lorson, who co-wrote songs with guitarist Bill Cote. Their debut album, Bring it Down, was released in ’93, with three other albums following in the 90s. The band then went on hiatus for 20 years before reforming just last year to release a fifth album, titled To Be Beautiful.
Madder Rose was one of a slew of female-fronted indie acts that emerged in the early 90s. THey have a low-fi, guitar-heavy sound that was compared at the time to The Velvet Underground. I see the connection. Several songs on this album are the sort of sleepy acoustic pop you find on VU’s self-titled album, while others lean into fuzzy guitars and propulsive drums.
While Bring it Down is the band’s best-known album, a cursory dip into some of their other releases suggests they only got better with time. Crazy that a band this interesting and talented could be a complete mystery to me. That’s why I love these Decades theme weeks.
So you walk around
Awake enough
To hold your ground
The river’s edge you jump right in
The current’s strong it makes you spin
Your arms in a wild rotation
Your arms in a wild rotation
The truth’s enough to set you afloat
Describe the truth as a yellow lifeboat
Admitting this you climb its ladder
But now the yellow boat
Just looks sadder
Hey Rose hey Madder
Hey Rose hey Madder
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
You’re conscious now
So you walk around
Awake enough
To hold your ground
The river’s edge you jump right in
The current’s strong it makes you spin
Your arms in a wild rotation
Your arms in a wild rotation
The truth’s enough to set you afloat
Describe the truth as a yellow lifeboat
Admitting this you climb its ladder
But now the yellow boat
Just looks sadder
Hey Rose hey Madder
Hey Rose hey Madder
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Hey rose hey Madder
Hey rose do I make you sadder?
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’ve never heard of this band either, but I’m glad you have discovered new old music to enjoy.