Artist: Ruth
Album: Anorak
Label: Tooth and Nail
Release Date: 10/28/08
Reviewer: Tyler Hess
- Hibernation Pieces
- Back To The Five
- Who I Was And Who I Am
- Rolling With The Punches
- Hearts On Sleeves
- Pure Concept
- Forgetting To Remember
- Nothing To Hide
- Miracle Photo
- Speechless Mess
- Dead Giveaway
I’ve been hearing about Ruth for a couple years now, I had even heard their first album a little bit, and I knew that they had been on some big tours such as the Appetite for Contruction Tour with Relient K and Switchfoot, yet nothing really jumped out and grabbed me about this band. Nevertheless, I believe in second chances and giving them to people and to music. This is a case where after listening to the second release from Ruth that I realized that I was both right and wrong. No, nothing about this album reaches out and grabs me, yet after giving it a go I now see that there is still something quite enjoyable about the music.
First impressions are important, there is no denying that. When I first put the CD into my computer I listened to this while a bit distracted by dozens of emails that I was busy sending out, yet all the while the music had my toe tapping and my head lightly going back and forth to the sound. This is pretty much what it still does for me several spins later. The sound is reminiscent of what Relient K put out earlier with the Nashville Tennis EP (minus the wit), with that laid back pop-rock rock style, cute and charming, but nothing so in my face that I just have to pay attention or suffer the consequences. The same can be said for the lyrics, which are a nice reflection of a man seeking to be with God and more like God for the most part. It is actually kind of weird in the few songs where the singer, Dustin Ruth, isn’t addressing God directly through the lyrics. While refreshing to hear such things, the lyrics aren’t generally creative, even though they are catchy enough on almost every song for the chorus to get stuck in my head.
In the end, the album starts off fairly solid, not extraordinary by any means, but a nice listen. About the time it is drawing near an end, however, around the time the ninth song rolls around I get a little bit distracted and I need something a little more. I like this CD, I really do, I’m just not blown away by it.
Songs to start with: Forgetting to Remember, Rolling With The Punches, Nothing To Hide
7.75/10
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