Jack Ruby Presents – Over Wires And White Plains (Homeskiillet Records)
As I listened to this I started wondering if Americana had actually moved on in the past decade. Then I got to wonder if that was actually what Americana was supposed to be about, and decided, well, no it isn’t, it is about heartfelt music played well, and that is exactly what we have here. There is plenty of passion in their delivery, and that is what counts. Opener “Spanish Songs” has everything that a good song in this genre requires, music built on a straight storyline that has a dark edge, plaintive yet appealing vocals (including really fine male / female duets), a bevy of instruments interspersing the narrative, and that dollop of fervor.

Jack Ruby Presents present (?!) twelve songs here that meet these criteria, but with the addition of some unusual elements, and that makes this album just a little bit special. For instance, on “Meet Me” we have a lilting trumpet joining the reverie, and on “Coffins” the lead vocal by Melissa Davaz is as near to gospel / soul as you can be without actually making it religious or cloying, and again the trumpet playing is exceptional. Rather fittingly, there is a cover of “Strange Fruit / Three Men Hanging”, and Melissa does a fine job of this too, despite the original being such a massive song to even attempt to cover.

Even so, the best work here is the great vocal by song-writer Jesse Hughey on the cracking, ten minute “Innocent”, with great accompaniment at times by both Melissa and Christopher (Hernandez). It’s a towering song about someone avoiding the blame for their actions (mainly, according to Jesse): “All this free floating guilt in the weight of the rain… and all eyes look harsh in the darkness while she takes all the blame… but it’s all through my fingers, brown leaves as they fall… but I’m going to bed while she’s up and she waits for my call”.

A fine debut album then, and it contains a promise of so much more to come. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait too long for more of the same.
www.myspace.com/jackrubypresents
Kev A.

JACK RUBY PRESENTS – STRANGE FRUIT / THREE MEN HANGING

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