A lot more class than my description, I suppose. "Ruby Falls" is an amazing piece of songcraft and it probably deserves a classier description than what I just gave it. Help me out, Saleski. What do you think of "Ruby Falls?"
Mark Saleski:
Not being a lyrics guy, I find the words to "Ruby Falls" to be somewhat opaque. Not an unusual thing for me, really. So what happens is that I end up experiencing things completely outside of the writer's context, sort of like paging through a poetry anthology and reading random pairs of lines. What does "the afterlife is all in the end/the afterlife is ours in the end" mean inside of the song? I have no idea. It surely means something to me.
But...the meaning is secondary to the gorgeous music. Beginning slowly and pensively and then expanding out in an explosion of electric guitar, "Ruby Falls" rocks along but does not telegraph what's to come. And what might that be? The section you describe as "post-coital" pulls in Guster's love of both vocal harmony and inner detail, what with the backing voice of Melissa Mathes. When that sweet trumpet solo is winding the song down, it's a little reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig In The Sky" pulled back a few notches.
This band's focus on melody is what seems to grab me every time. I'm now thinking of the chorus to "Dear Valentine". The melody is again instantly recognizable and the vocal layering turns the song into an instant anthem. You can just imagine it in concert as the set-closer.
DJRadiohead:
Yes, excellent! I am only occasionally a lyrics guy. Over time, the words will seep into my head but "Ruby Falls" sounds so amazing I find myself not particularly interested in learning them straight away. You make a good point, too, about not telegraphing their moves. The unexpected nature of the sonic journey through "Ruby Falls" is stunning.
I am so happy you bring up "Dear Valentine." That is perhaps my third favorite song on this album. The chorus reminds me of something you brought up when we were discussing "One Man Wrecking Machine." These harmonies have always been here yet they still sound vital and new. "Dear Valentine" is pure pop and it is those harmonies that elevate this song to being something special. This is another one that, given the chance, could do well on radio. And again with the trumpet. A marvelous pop song.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
Good job fellas. Glad to see the fanboy is back. Guess I'll add another record to my increasingly long list of "to buy." One of you has some explaining to do with my wife when she sees the music bill.
2 - Mark Saleski
you see, sir brewster...we have this all figured out. if you spend only, say, $50/year on clothing, then you've got extra cash for music.
3 - Mark Sahm
Gents, I've given this album the iTunes preview listen twice now. While I will say musically that the sounds were pleasant, there was nothing that grabbed me... I will describe it as somewhere between Tom Petty and upbeat Travis, perhaps a little too upbeat for my tastes. I will try to revisit it in a week and see if anything changes.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the post. You know, it's funny in retrospect, but what began as a little tiff over Eliot Smith has evolved into some interesting discussions. A Boba Fett nod to you both... happy 4th of July.