Ruby Muse
Album: Red Guitar In A Blue Room
Label: Liquid Air Music
Tracks: 11
Website: www.myspace.com/rubymuse

Red Guitar In A Blue Room is the second album from Ruby Muse; a duo that hails from the heart of the British countryside and offers arrange of songs inspired by folk, country, blues, jazz, and even classical music whilst retaining one electro-acoustic sound that defines them.

The material on the album, although not particularly original, is pleasant and very easy-listening and features some fantastic musicianship. The opening track Cheat is a simple, low-tempo number that showcases some great vocal harmonies and well placed electric guitar parts, held together with a solid rhythm. Hints of southern rock are even detectable in this track, thanks to the bluesy slide guitar that winds between verses and choruses, courtesy of rock and blues man, Malcolm Heyes. Red Guitar In A Blue Room also features some predominantly country songs too; Can’t Figure You Out being one of these, even down to the American accent adopted by lead vocalist Jools Heyes. Mr Horizon proves to be a particular highlight, with its laid-back lounge jazz style, interesting chord inversions and soothing melody.

All the songs that feature on this album are, in some way or another, stories and are told fantastically through the lyrics of Heyes. While the songs themselves may not be the most original, the lyrics within them are intriguing and urge the listener on. A great deal of cultural influences are drawn on throughout the album too with inspiration coming from Vermeer’s ‘Girl With A Pearl Earring’ painting and like any good poet, Shakespeare.

Red Guitar In A Blue Room is an electro-acoustic album, sometimes reminiscent of Stevie Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac and draws inspiration from a number of different sources, both musically and lyrically. While there are a few individual highlights, some of the songs feel a little like filler but nonetheless the whole record proves to be very easy-listening and very pleasant and will no doubt please listeners that are already fans of the genre.

Richard Blenkinsop