"Rose Red" by Emilie Autumn from Enchant

"Rose, Rose, Rose Red—will I ever see thee wed? I will marry at thy will, sire—at thy will…"

After opening with that folk round, Emilie Autumn continues with a song about waiting for a marriage that hasn't come and falling from innocence—and a refusal to change, hide, or compromise who she is. (That refusal is a common theme in Emilie Autumn's work.)

Despite the topic, the song isn't crass. It's built on the folk tale of "Snow White and Rose Red", where shy Snow White gets the hero as her husband, leaving her bolder sister Rose Red with the leftovers. Someone unfamiliar with the flower symbolism for virginity might hear it and be confused by some of the lyrics.

Actually, it's one of those lyrically symbolic and poetic songs that's confusing in general, but that's another matter. They do capture the mood and theme perfectly well.

The melody and harmony both echo for a "wet" sound, melded with violin that's leisurely despite the song's fast tempo. Other instruments blend in, in a mix of alternative music styles that usually aren't put together. Talented singer and songwriter Emilie Autumn knows what she's doing, though, and it works. The resulting song is beautiful to hear, the sound smooth. (She also has a version of the song on YouTube somewhere that's from a live concert where her mic broke and she had to supplement her violin, and that's well worth hearing.)

The singer's voice can range from delicate to sassy, in a way that I lack the ability to describe. It's lovely, though it's been electronically manipulated a tad. If you don't like music that sounds "wet" (echoey), you won't like this song, I'm afraid.

Emilie Autumn also blends her voice into the music, sometimes, which some listeners wouldn't like. It's consistent and obviously intentional, but still. This is one of those songs that you'll probably either love or wonder what the heck it is.

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Lyrics: 4/5
Music: 5/5
Vocal(s): 4/5
Overall: 9/10