Album Review: New Ruins This Life is Not Ours to Keep
By Jordan Schwartz
I still remember the first time I saw New Ruins. It was at the Iron Post back in 2007 when they were new to town and only had one album, the still unbeatable The Sound They Make. It’s my favorite New Ruins record, though I usually like whatever album I heard first the best anyway. (And also, how come they never play anything off that album live anymore? I’m dying to hear “Attic” again. Please.) Fast forward to 2011 and the band is still going strong, releasing their third album, This Life Is Not Ours To Keep, on Matt Talbot’s relatively new Earth Analog label.
The album should sound familiar to anyone who’s seen them play live in the past year or so. I’m fairly confident I heard all of these songs live before the album was released in September. Overall, TLINOTK stays true to their often relaxed (and whiskey drenched) shoegazey Americana sound. Not to say that’s a bad thing. It’s surely not boring, and they have gotten very good at doing their thing.
Some of my favorite and least favorite moments of the album come in the song “Holden”. The driving bass line in the verse feels awkward and out of place, but Elzie Sexton’s vocals in the chorus save the song with his affecting delivery. When he sings “All I inherit is your filthy fucking mouth,” you really feel it. Sexton’s lyrics are great throughout the album, my personal favorite coming in “Dodging Anhydrous Clouds”: “I was so full of shit that my eyes were brown.”
Sexton takes the lead more on this album than on previous releases, and it works out well. His songs tend to be more subtle than fellow guitarist Caleb Means’ songs. And that subtlety helps on repeated listens, as the melodies on several songs sneak up and find their way into your brain. The album also seems to emphasize harmonies more, and it’s here that Means stands out. His tenor does a great job backing Sexton’s mumbled vocals.
Is “Break my Body / steal my bones” an allusion to the Pixies song with the lyrics “break my body / hold my bones”? It’s probably just me, but I can’t get that connection out of my head when hearing “Intense Friendship.” Said song, though, is a great ending to TLINOTK. It builds slowly, layering delayed guitars and then ends with just drums and Caleb and Elzie’s voices.
If you haven’t seen New Ruins play live, get your ass to a show. They seem to play every month or so and they consistently put on a solid rock show. Based on previous experience, they’re bound to play something new that will show up on their next album.
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Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
That article almost looks like something out of The Onion
Thanks! I’m looking forward to writing even more….
Yay! Love this! Welcome to the family!
that last photo’s a doozie, Chris. good work.
that city center house show was one of those life-affirming things.
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I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
And without bloodshed. Sounds like the Savoy trustees aren’t as narrow-minded as some of their whiny pants constituents. Do you think quack Snell is already planning an asinine counterattack or is he still laying low after those “threats” against his person?
hey, if hair ain’t gon’ be over your head, my jokes may as well be.
Okay, almost 24 hours later and I finally got Issac’s Summer joke. I’m an idiot.
Excellent. I am glad sometimes American dreams are encouraged, rather than stifled.
Swap the dog for a fire pit and it sounds like you’re writing about my back yard. Very nice.
funny, as your summer begins, another Summer ends.
@Dan - Wow. Unfortunately, I have to refrain from further comment due to a previous employment relationship. But with that brief context you might be able to imagine possible comments or responses I could have.
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represent, Matt.