Gregory Robson
08/21/09, 04:44 AM
Ruth - Covers EP
Record Label: Tooth and Nail
Release Date: Aug. 25, 2009
Battle Ground, WA's favorite sons have returned to release their first album since 2008's Anorak, their third in line since Tooth and Nail debut Secondhand Dreaming. The Covers EP is the band's creative spin on a wide-ranging selection of five multi-generational pop singles. The disc also marks the band's new lineup, featuring Jesse Counts on bass, and Daniel Passera on drums, the band's fifth drummer and third bassist, respectively.
In under 20 minutes, the band puts their creative spin on Coldplay's "Fix You," Tracy Chapman's "Give me One Reason," Buddy Holly's "Everyday," Mr. Big's 80s hit "To Be With You" and the Everly Brothers classic, "All I Have To Do Is Dream." Lead singer Dustin Ruth has a penchant for melancholic, passionate yearning and the wistful guitars create a sparkling, autumnal atmosphere that's equal parts brooding, poignant and earnest. The only problem is the band might have gotten too creative for their own good. Aside from by-the-book opener "Everyday," and their run-of-the-mill, slightly amateur take on Mr. Big, none of the other three songs sound anything even remotely close to their predecessor. And while that's usually a good thing here, Dustin Ruth's vocals don't exactly have the kind of range or sass to delineate this as something worth coming back to.
On the Everly Brother's classic "All I Have to Do is Dream," the song is overly light-hearted and rater corny. Forty seconds on it becomes a pain to listen to as the bounciness becomes far too saccharine for its own good. While this kind of thing was popular for Everclear and the late 90s California scene, it sounds a bit forced here. Now granted Holly's song was simple, but dumbing it down to this level is almost an insult to his memory. There's good reason to think Everly Brother descendants are laughing at this interpretation. And then the album makes it most boldest claims. Their version of Tracy Chapman's late 90s blues hit "Give Me One Reason" is just strange, as it morphs into jangly alt-pop akin to the Gin Blossoms. Sounding a bit grungy on the verses, Ruth and company truly hit a home run here. Easily a candidate for modern rock radio, the teetering and puncy guitars are a surefire workout and hot damn this song is gold.
And then comes the biggest surprise of all. "Fix You" features hastened acoustic strumming and sounds indie, earnest and very Californian. A harmonica kicks in and the chorus sounds so far left of Coldplay its remarkable. Then to keep the fun coming, a slide guitar kicks in as well as a pedal steel. Equal parts country, folk and indie, "Fix You," really takes off around the two minute mark and turns into a punchy mid-tempo affair. It's gorgeous, it's original and its absolutely awesome. Were it not for that song though, the entire disc might suffer from a sad case of being quite underwhelming. Sure it shines in places, but with a running time of less than 20 minutes and three shaky tracks to start, this isn't exactly the stuff of legends.
Lead singer Dustin Ruth has admitted that the album was a labor of love and all the songs were used for various reasons because each had special meaning to members of the band. While that's all well and good, the relevance appears to be muddled. Are they not working on new material? Were they too lethargic to put together an entire covers album? Those lingering questions and the album's shaky start might just overwhelm the sheer brilliance of the album's last two tracks, and when that becomes the case, something is very amiss.
1. Everyday (Buddy Holly)
2. All I Have To Do is Dream (Everly Brothers)
3. To Be With You (Mr. Big)
4. Give Me One Reason (Tracy Chapman)
5. Fix You (Coldplay)
Dustin Ruth (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica)
Nicholas Wiinikka (lead guitar)
Jesse Counts (bass)
Daniel Passera (drum)
Switchfoot, Sherwood, The Send, The Velvet Teen
Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/ruthrock)
Website (http://www.ruththeband.com)
Record Label: Tooth and Nail
Release Date: Aug. 25, 2009
Battle Ground, WA's favorite sons have returned to release their first album since 2008's Anorak, their third in line since Tooth and Nail debut Secondhand Dreaming. The Covers EP is the band's creative spin on a wide-ranging selection of five multi-generational pop singles. The disc also marks the band's new lineup, featuring Jesse Counts on bass, and Daniel Passera on drums, the band's fifth drummer and third bassist, respectively.
In under 20 minutes, the band puts their creative spin on Coldplay's "Fix You," Tracy Chapman's "Give me One Reason," Buddy Holly's "Everyday," Mr. Big's 80s hit "To Be With You" and the Everly Brothers classic, "All I Have To Do Is Dream." Lead singer Dustin Ruth has a penchant for melancholic, passionate yearning and the wistful guitars create a sparkling, autumnal atmosphere that's equal parts brooding, poignant and earnest. The only problem is the band might have gotten too creative for their own good. Aside from by-the-book opener "Everyday," and their run-of-the-mill, slightly amateur take on Mr. Big, none of the other three songs sound anything even remotely close to their predecessor. And while that's usually a good thing here, Dustin Ruth's vocals don't exactly have the kind of range or sass to delineate this as something worth coming back to.
On the Everly Brother's classic "All I Have to Do is Dream," the song is overly light-hearted and rater corny. Forty seconds on it becomes a pain to listen to as the bounciness becomes far too saccharine for its own good. While this kind of thing was popular for Everclear and the late 90s California scene, it sounds a bit forced here. Now granted Holly's song was simple, but dumbing it down to this level is almost an insult to his memory. There's good reason to think Everly Brother descendants are laughing at this interpretation. And then the album makes it most boldest claims. Their version of Tracy Chapman's late 90s blues hit "Give Me One Reason" is just strange, as it morphs into jangly alt-pop akin to the Gin Blossoms. Sounding a bit grungy on the verses, Ruth and company truly hit a home run here. Easily a candidate for modern rock radio, the teetering and puncy guitars are a surefire workout and hot damn this song is gold.
And then comes the biggest surprise of all. "Fix You" features hastened acoustic strumming and sounds indie, earnest and very Californian. A harmonica kicks in and the chorus sounds so far left of Coldplay its remarkable. Then to keep the fun coming, a slide guitar kicks in as well as a pedal steel. Equal parts country, folk and indie, "Fix You," really takes off around the two minute mark and turns into a punchy mid-tempo affair. It's gorgeous, it's original and its absolutely awesome. Were it not for that song though, the entire disc might suffer from a sad case of being quite underwhelming. Sure it shines in places, but with a running time of less than 20 minutes and three shaky tracks to start, this isn't exactly the stuff of legends.
Lead singer Dustin Ruth has admitted that the album was a labor of love and all the songs were used for various reasons because each had special meaning to members of the band. While that's all well and good, the relevance appears to be muddled. Are they not working on new material? Were they too lethargic to put together an entire covers album? Those lingering questions and the album's shaky start might just overwhelm the sheer brilliance of the album's last two tracks, and when that becomes the case, something is very amiss.
1. Everyday (Buddy Holly)
2. All I Have To Do is Dream (Everly Brothers)
3. To Be With You (Mr. Big)
4. Give Me One Reason (Tracy Chapman)
5. Fix You (Coldplay)
Dustin Ruth (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica)
Nicholas Wiinikka (lead guitar)
Jesse Counts (bass)
Daniel Passera (drum)
Switchfoot, Sherwood, The Send, The Velvet Teen
Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/ruthrock)
Website (http://www.ruththeband.com)