private pressing
Ruby Throat : The Ventriloquist (UK,2007)***°
Katie Jane Garside seems to have a longer history in music than I expected after having discovered Ruby Throat. In 1992 she sang with a band called Daisy Chainsaw and sang guest vocals for the 80s styled industrial group Test Department, wild years ? Then I see her like a sexy kitten singer with a contrasting heavier band called Queenadreena, not with a type of style that warms up my interests enough, but I haven’t got time and chance to look well into this youngsters style approach... Then I saw another side-project called Lalleshwari, with another CD & filmic project using voyeuristic esthetical images, inspirations in bathrooms, where also I did not find easily any deeper stories behind the more easily found standard bodily seductions, no matter how innocent, I didn't find yet a feeding curiosity for the deeper lying things, while the personal images looks so important. With Ruby Throat, as a duo, (with Chris Whittingham) her presentation is much more down to a real person, as a more fundamental side of attraction that a bit more clearly to me goes beyond the now more present softer sweet untouchable girlish fragility, another surface taken, (another person or occasion could show off as being tough and bitchy for the same reasons, a strategy). It is clear how she makes here more use of her voice an instrument of pure music, and shows expressions of a longer lasting story. The arrangements are done with great care, and they swirl around in sound and harmony, while simple effective guitar brings the songs further. Her singing starts slightly breathy, an attractive singing like a gentle bird with fantasy-emotions. Not easy to get a grip on all the lyrics well enough, but already at first listen there’s enough in them to be carried away for a dance with some different emotions, when not too demanding where getting involved would lead to further for tomorrow. Little simple dramas seep through ; also involved is a beautiful and warm family feeling, of something that finds all that is needed. Another surprise is the ninth track, a larger, rather psychedelic improvisation on guitars and vocals. An album that needs many listens to reveal all the aspects.
PS. Next release where Katie appears will be a cooperation of Audrey from Mediaeval Baebes, Kat from Miranda Sex Garden, Andrea from Colt, etc. and will be called Stories From The Moon.
Track Titles (not included in the cd) : 1 "Swan And Minotaur (Troubled Man)", 2 "House Of Thieves", 3 "Naked Ruby", 4 "Salto Angel", 5 "Dear Daniel", 6 "The Ventriloquist", 7 "Lie To Me", 8 "Ghost Boy", 9 "John 3.16", 10 "Happy Now", 11 "Marybell Rides Into Town On A Pig".
