Ruddy Well
Band – Change Of Course (Independent)
Syracuse quartet the Ruddy Well Band are Andrew Ruddy
on vocals, guitar, banjo and harmonica, Monique Ritter on vocals and violin,
Ryan Burdick who also sings and plays guitar, harmonica and percussion, and their
most recent addition, Blake Propst on upright bass. The original trio has been
together since 2008, performing regularly and honing their songwriting skills
and the results of their hard work can be heard throughout their sophomore
collection “Change Of Course” (their debut “Little Blue Marble” was released in
2011).
Their sound and style taps into a host of influences,
from The Byrds circa “Sweethearts Of The Rodeo” and Sylvia and Ian Tyson’s
Great Speckled Bird, right through to contemporary string bands like the Old
Crow Medicine Show. The opening track “Roadside Flowers”
begins with a chuckle and that joy continues right through the track, a vibrant
folk-rock floor-filler with superb vocals and a catchy, infectious chorus. It’s
followed by “Just Give Me Time”, and it’s a
veritable hoedown, the sort of high-energy approach that’s made folk music an
essential part of the festival experience, and “I'm All
Good” cranks up the rockin’ country quota to fine effect.
So far, so good, and the icing on their musical cake
is the ease in which they relax the pace and dip into syrup-free balladry. The
combination of lush strings and snagged vocals makes “One
Day At a Time” a highlight, and “Dawn On Our
Doorstep” contains a wealth of tight harmony singing.
Phil S.
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