Rosie Thomas

Rosie Thomas's early 2002 debut When We Were Small is an unassuming treasure: quietly affecting songs filled with yearning, questing nostalgia. The record was warmly received (with glowing praise in Q, Time Out NY, Uncut, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, and on NPR's Morning Edition, among others) and the seeming-contradiction presented by Rosie?s stand-up comedy alter-ego Sheila (Rosie's Andy Kaufman-esque creation: a hapless pizza delivery woman, wearing arm-sling and neck-brace) caused a lot of people to take notice. commented: Thomas is a moonlighting comic with an earth-angel voice who channels fragile melismas through heartachy tales sketched with acoustic guitars and pianos.

Since recording When We Were Small, Rosie?s kept herself busy: she used Detroit's oldest church as a recording studio, escaped unscathed from a lengthy and somewhat daunting European tour, and started a band for her uber-dork doppelganger, Sheila. Now she's releasing her second full-length album, Only with Laughter Can You Win.

Where When We Were Small gave listeners a look back at the people and memories of Rosie's childhood, Only with Laughter Can You Win (the title itself a nod to the influence of Joni Mitchell upon Rosie), is a more personal look into her present. With the new record Rosie's knack for laying bare her individual experience is buoyed and enriched by an emphasis on collaboration and increased instrumentation. Along with her gorgeous vocals, reflective lyrics, and understated accompaniment, Rosie enlisted family and friends to collaborate on the album.

Her mother sings with her on the brief opener, ?Let Myself Fall,? which they recorded in St. John's, the aforementioned church (circa 1860) in her hometown of Detroit. The pair's soaring vocals evoke the cavernous surroundings of the church, as well as the ordinary-yet-momentous nature of the subject: falling in love. Sam Beam of Iron and Wine joins Rosie on ?Red Rover,? a result of their winter 2003 tour with James Mercer of the Shins. Her father, mother, sister, and brothers harmonize with her on "I Play Music," which Rosie wrote during a particularly grueling and protracted stint opening a European tour (which saw her leap from cozy 300-person venues to 5,000-plus blowouts).

Producer Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, the Briefs, Octant) once again lends his expertise, however Rosie and guitarist Eric Fisher also had a hand in production this time around. Besides recording in St. John?s, she laid down tracks in her father's house and enlisted the help of a friend from London, Lucy Wilkins (who currently performs with Massive Attack), for violin parts on "You and Me" and "Gradually."

Touring and recording hasn"t left Rosie much time for moonlighting as a standup comedian. However, Sheila, ever enamored of Sub Pop's own Jonathan Poneman, has launched her own musical career with her cover band Strawberry Jam. Rosie's serious and sincere original songs coupled with Sheila's coverage of popular favorites such as "Eye of the Tiger" mirrors the balance Rosie brings to her work: a healthy dose of the sublime, a dash of the ridiculous.

Rosie and her band (accompanied by Shelia, no doubt--despite her vote for Whole Lotta Sheila as the album title having fallen on deaf ears...) will tour extensively with the release of Only with Laughter Can You Win.

Rosie Thomas vocals, guitar, piano

Eric Fisher guitar

Brian Thomas piano

Andy Myers drums