Ruby
Salt Peter
»
Ruby
Salt Peter
Epic, 1996
RiYL: Garbage, Sneaker Pimps, Silverfish, Bjork |
Former lead chanteuse of hardcore band Silverfish, Rankine has now adopted a new persona as the driving force behind Ruby. Ruby's debut album, Salt Peter, is the culmination of Rankine's work since departing from her former band in December 1993. The album shows promise but fails to break new ground in the synth-pop genre.
It was created almost entirely with computers, and the songs are driven by drum loops and repetitious guitar and bass riffs.
"I didn't use a band on this record because I honestly believe that I was not put on this earth to share my life with a bunch of other people," Rankine said in the album's advance press.
This sentiment seems to be at the essence of Ruby's lyrics as well. Her lyrics are almost frightening, with references to blood, meat, leeches and fire cropping up in numerous songs. Edgar Allan Poe at his darkest would be proud of Ruby's brooding verse.
But he might not be quite so fond of her often less-than-stellar musical accompaniment. Ruby hits the mark on a few songs, but Salt Peter as a whole falls short of the techno-pop mastery exhibited by the likes of Bjork. "Tiny Meat," the album's best track, wonderfully fuses an upbeat guitar riff with Rankine's drum loops of choice. Other highlights include "Heidi" and the album's first single, "Paraffin."
Unfortunately, the highlights end there. Tracks like "The Whole Is Equal To The Sum Of Its Parts" and "Bud" don't capture the vibe quite as well, and at its worst, Salt Peter approaches Nine Inch Nails or Skinny Puppy territory. But numerous comparisons notwithstanding, Ruby's first effort is surprisingly original. Though Salt Peter leaves the aural palate dissatisfied, it brushes with greatness.
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.