Reviews
Artist:Ruby J Album: Backtrack
Label: Lemon Sun
Tracks: 5
Website: https://www.facebook.com/rubyjofficial/
An eighteen-year-old from Stafford, citing influences such as Billie Holiday, Alex Turner and classic Motown, she's already found herself compared to the likes of Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner. That's rather hyperbolic and, to be frank, a bit of a burden of expectation to place on someone who's just starting out, but this five-tracker is certainly an impressive debut with its retro soul sound and punchy brass. The catchy title track kicks it off with a driving guitar riff revealing a warbling voice that's rather more Brenda Lee than Tina or Amy, slowing down slightly to a funkier swaggery chug with propulsive drums for 'Don't Care', a number that suddenly flares into a brief urgent rhythm midway before calming back down. You can hear where Tina might be a touchstone here.
'Home' has more punchy drums but a rather more 60s country-flavoured rock n roll feel, the brass fueling the pace. In contrast, the vocals echoey and mixed back, 'Truth' initially turns to balladry before again the pace and staccato rhythm catch fire with some resonant guitar in the background, building to a big finale. Tinkling keyboards opening it up, things end with an actual full 70s soul ballad on the organ-backed 'Try' which, while fading out rather than building to a climax, her voice adds an impassioned smoulder to the mix that suggests that those Winehouse comparisons may not be so far off the mark after all.
Mike Davies
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