| Ruby Red | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Label | East West/Elektra [1] | |||
| Producer | Don Gehman | |||
| The Dambuilders chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ruby Red is an album by the American band the Dambuilders, released in 1995. [2] [3] It was the band's first major label album of completely new material. [4]
The first single was "Teenage Loser Anthem". [5] The band supported the album by touring with Better Than Ezra. [6]
The album was produced by Don Gehman. [7] [8] Its lyrics were written by the singer and bass player Dave Derby; all four band members wrote the music. [9] Gehman encouraged the band to think more about its vocal harmonies, and the intertwining of Derby's and Joan Wasser's voices. [10] "Smooth Control" employed a pedal steel guitar. [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| Robert Christgau |  [13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [14] |
Trouser Press wrote that "there are some good songs, and Derby does some nice things vocally—his falsetto on 'Down' would give Radiohead’s Thom Yorke a run for his money —but it’s a letdown from a band that has rarely disappointed in the past." [7] SF Weekly thought that "Derby's lyrics alternately capture the urge to move (down the highway, into the stratosphere) and the realization that you're often literally or figuratively stuck in one space." [15] The Nashville Scene deemed the album full of "bombastic would-be anthems and strained power ballads." [16]
CMJ New Music Monthly called it "a crystal-clear confection of hooky, muscular guitar riffs and occasional flights of fiddle." [17] The Boston Globe opined that the band "has shifted away from dissonance (good move) while retaining the punk, punch and power." [18] The Wisconsin State Journal stated that the songs "coolly incorporate violins and creative guitar work to create a uniquely creepy, undeniably compelling rock sound." [19]
AllMusic called the album "a raw, unpretentious indie masterpiece that seems to have had few champions." [12]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Smooth Control" | |
| 2. | "Special Ed" | |
| 3. | "Teenage Loser Anthem" | |
| 4. | "Drive By Kiss" | |
| 5. | "Lazy Eye" | |
| 6. | "Bending Machine" | |
| 7. | "Velocidad" | |
| 8. | "Rocket to the Moon" | |
| 9. | "Cosmonaut" | |
| 10. | "St. Tamarindo" | |
| 11. | "Down" | |
| 12. | "I Forget Myself" |
Good God's Urge is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Porno for Pyros. It was released in 1996 on Warner Bros. It was the band's first album to feature bass guitarist Mike Watt, who assisted the band in finishing the album after Martyn LeNoble left before all his bass tracks had been completed. There were three singles released from the album.
Hard Volume is the second studio album by American rock band Rollins Band, released in 1989. It was reissued with previously unreleased tracks in 1999 through Buddah Records.
The Dambuilders was an indie rock band that began in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, in 1989 and later relocated to Boston. They released seven LPs and a number of EPs before breaking up in 1998. Members have gone on with other musical projects, including the band's violinist/vocalist, Joan Wasser, as Joan as Police Woman. Kevin March also became well known in indie circles as the drummer of the band Guided by Voices, which he joined in 2002. Dave Derby is the leader and main songwriter of the New York City-based collective of artists known as Gramercy Arms, which has included collaborations with both Wasser and March.
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Joan Wasser is an American musician, singer-songwriter and producer who releases music as Joan As Police Woman. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders and played with Black Beetle, Antony and the Johnsons, and Those Bastard Souls. Since 2004 she has released her solo material as Joan As Police Woman. She has released five regular studio albums, one EP, a number of singles and two albums of cover songs. Throughout her career, she has regularly collaborated with other artists as a writer, performer and arranger.
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F-Punk is a studio album by Mick Jones' post-Clash band Big Audio Dynamite, released in 1995. It was the first album to be released under the name of Big Audio Dynamite since 1989's Megatop Phoenix. The title is a pun on the funk group P-Funk, and is supposed to imply "Fuck punk." The album cover lettering takes influence from London Calling, one of Mick Jones' albums with The Clash, which in turn was a copy of Elvis Presley's debut album.
Ain't My Lookout is the fourth full-length album by Memphis indie rock band The Grifters, and their first for Sub Pop Records. While Sub Pop released the Compact Disc, the Grifters remained true to their old home, Shangri-La Records, which was able to receive the licensing for the vinyl release. The vinyl LP release is now out of print. The album marked a stylistic change in the band's sound, with the lo-fi sound featured on previous albums being devoid on this release.
Dirt Track Date is an album by Southern Culture on the Skids, released in 1995. It was the band's first album for DGC Records. The band attracted some attention with the release of the song "Camel Walk".
Tall Tales and True were an Australian rock band formed in 1983 by Matthew de la Hunty on lead vocals and guitar and Paul Miskin on bass guitar, backing vocals and guitar. They released three studio albums, Shiver (1989), Revenge! and Tilt (1995). They disbanded in 1995.
Dave Derby is an American songwriter, recording artist, producer, and composer who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and now resides in New York City.
Smile was an American rock band.
The Blow-Up is a live album by the American band Television, released as The Blow Up on cassette in 1982. It was reissued in 1990 and again in 1999. The songs first appeared on a bootleg titled Arrow.
Rope-a-Dope is an album by the American indie rock band Antietam, released in 1994. It is named for the boxing technique. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
Thank the Holder Uppers is an album by the American band Claw Hammer. The band's first major label album, it was released in 1995 via Interscope Records. Claw Hammer supported the album with a North American tour.
Long Sound is an album by the American band the Coctails. It was released in 1993, one of many notable albums to come out of Chicago that year.
The Amazing Colossal Band is an album by the Finnish surf rock band Laika & the Cosmonauts, released in 1995. It was one of many instrumental rock albums released in 1995, part of a mid-1990s trend that encompassed lounge, surf, and space rock styles.
Let It Come Down is the third and final studio album by American alternative rock band St. Johnny.
