A nearly perfect 'Storm'

Rock

Eileen Rose

Come the Storm (Wildflower) What happens when you're all grown up and realize being cool is not all it's cracked up to be? That's the theme running through Saugus native Eileen Rose's third disc, "Come the Storm," a soulfully satisfying collection of smart, romantic rock 'n' roll for adults. Rose's characters are all coming to terms with their past, whether it's the mistress left behind in "Saffron and Ginger," or a woman in a stable relationship watching the rest of the world crumble in "Stagger Home." Rose has a talent for capturing the friction between confusion and comfort, the moments of doubt that make faith stronger. But "Come the Storm" is far from a grim meditation on lost youth. Rose has the kind of powerful voice that can draw you in with a whisper or shake the walls of your favorite rock dive. "Last New Year's Eve" is a sly reflection on old friends, full of twang and Chrissie Hynde-like attitude, and "Stagger Home" ends with the uplifting mantra "Things still seem all right in our own backyard." Rose is already recording her follow-up, and if it's half as good as this one, she could be on her way to great things. [Nick A. Zaino III]

Eileen Rose performs at Toad on Aug. 18.