Girl at the Rock Shows

It’s getting harder and harder to find motivation to do work on nights when I don’t have a show. Honestly, I blame exhaustion and burnout, but realistically, I just get to feeling lazy. I mean, I rarely have nights off, so when I do, I like to spend them cuddled up on the couch with the cats while binging some terrible TV shows. You know, ordinary people stuff. That being said, my desk is cluttered with reviews to do, and, honestly, I can’t settle down knowing I have so much fantastic music to share with you all, so instead of just zoning out on the couch tonight, let’s dig into ‘Waiting on a Breeze’ from Ruark.

‘Waiting on a Breeze’ kicks off with “Don’t Look Back”. This is the second full-length release from this Arkansas-based band, and within just a few seconds of this track, I knew I was going to want to go back and dig into their first album. I’ll be honest, the recording quality is rough here, as you will hear, but, at the same time, I found it to add a sense of charm to the already charming folk-rock vibe of this opening song. (Also, just so you know, this whole album was recorded in the band’s home studio, using basic equipment, so brace yourself for a less-than-perfect recording quality throughout this album.) The storytelling in the lyrics is raw, and the raw nature of the recording quality seems to just enhance that. As an opening track, “Don’t Look Back” draws you into Ruark’s intriguing world so perfectly, and it had me stoked to see what else would happen on this ten-song album.

I’m a sucker for slow and sad whiskey-drinking songs. I mean, come on, my favorite band of all time is Lucero, so, naturally, “Into the Sun” was an instant favorite of mine on this album. It’s one of those aforementioned slow and sad whiskey-drinking songs with an undeniable sense of heart behind it. The vocals are perfectly imperfect, as if to drive every word straight to your soul like a thorn in a rose. The crazy thing about Ruark is that although these recordings are a bit rough around the edges, every note and word comes through crisp and clear. Again, it’s part of the charm that can only be called that of Ruark.

Things pick up the pace when it comes to “Over Me.” The lick that opens up this third track is a definite earworm but fades into the background as the vocals come in and calm this track down to Ruark’s distinct folk-rock sound. I really love the balance of energy and beauty in this track. The way the female and male vocals weave together throughout this track is pure magic and is definitely something I hope I hear more of. At the same time, I feel like the quality of this track really makes it stand out on the album, so even if I don’t get more of it, I will treasure this song because of this layering.

“Out of Ashes” brings back that sad and slow whiskey-drinking vibe so perfectly. This song is heartbreakingly gorgeous. Again, the imperfect quality of the recording, mixed with the way the vocals aren’t super polished or perfect, adds a sense of emotion and heaviness to this track that cannot be ignored. A really cool thing about Ruark is that they can obviously fill a slow and sad song with passion but can also fill a song like “Brave Eyes” with that same feeling. Although this fifth song is a stark contrast in energy when compared to “Out Of Ashes,” the feeling is the same and is impossible not to fall in love with.

The title for the sixth track, “Full of Strife,” seems to be a bit misleading. I had to look it up because strife isn’t a word I use on the regular, but, long story short, strife is a violent disagreement or argument between two or more people. This song is far from an argument. Maybe it’s about an inner battle (which leads to some very poignant lyrics), but all in all, this is a truly gorgeous and triumphant track that hit me super hard. I just sat back and took in this entire song as if Ruark was singing directly to me. I know that’s not the case, but I felt that every word was just too relatable not to feel as if the song was directed to me. This formed a fast and deep connection with this song for me.

“Long Way Rolling” has a very playful vibe to it that instantly made me smile. Honestly, it reminds me a bit of Kimya Dawson without being anywhere close to a Kimya Dawson. It’s more that distinct playfulness mixed with the raw qualities that are a constant throughout this track. Again, I felt like the lyrics of this track were pointed right at me. I know that’s not at all the case, but I also know that this was another song that, like “Full of Strife,” hit me right to the core. The playful nature of this song leans into “Love Is Destiny” so perfectly. Although the instrumentation of this eighth song is a bit more playful than the actual words, I found this song to be the epitome of Ruark’s charm. It’s a sweet love song that filled me with such a sense of warmth and comfort.

“By My Side” expands on the comfort and warmth of “Love Is Destiny” while bringing a sense of existential dread to the table. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but this song is a mirror of “Love Is Destiny” with a hint of darkness. Instead of a love song, this seems to be a longing for love kind of song. I’m not sure if the order of this song coming right after “Love Is Destiny” was just by chance or a well-thought-out plan, but it was definitely genius. Between these two songs, you see two very starkly different sides of Ruark in a brilliant way.

This ten-song album ends with the title track, “Waiting on a Breeze.” This is a perfect way to end this album, as it takes all of the best elements heard throughout the previous nine tracks and wraps them up in a pretty little bow of the passion and love that Ruark has put into all of these songs. It leaves you with a lot to think about while also easing you back into the real world at the same time. Truly a stunning ending to a stunning piece of art.

TL;DR- If you can get past the raw recording quality of this album, ‘Waiting on a Breeze’ from Ruark is full of charm and heart. It’s one of those albums that you quickly forget about the “rough around the edges” parts and just fall in love with the passion and soul that each track is drenched in.

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