Roisin Murphy - Ruby Blue

[Mike]

We don't appear to be discussing this. Why is that? I was never a fan of Moloko (apart from Sing It Back and Pure Pleasure Seeker) but this is a whole new kettle of fish. It's the most insane album I've heard this year, and that includes the Robyn one.

The first single If We're In Love is irresistible electro-pop. Dear Diary sounds like something off the Dancer In The Dark soundtrack album. Ramalama (Bang Bang) is driven by relentless bongo drums and is ludicrously addictive. Leaving The City is oddly reminiscent of Christina Milian's Dip It Low.

Seriously, am I the only one who thinks this is brilliant?

[marcus]

I dont think brilliant does this album justice. I would use something along the lines of superfuckingfanbloodytastic.

On first listen I was like what the hell is this noise!!!!!!! then on the second listen it all just seemed to fall into place.......Touching lyrics, haunting melodies and that voice have created one of the albums of the year....Everyone needs to buy a copy of this album.

[Dennis]

Thisisnotatest, you are me. Stop it. I've been writing a post in my head for about a week now. One of your bestest pop stars, and not a single mention on these boards, surely one of life's greater mysteries. And I'd say she was pop. Leftfield pop, but pop.

The only thing I don't like about the album is the first video. Way too "oldskool Moloko", which I never cared for. The last two videos Moloko did I thought were two of the best videos ever made (I always well up when I watch "Familiar feeling"), but this is disappointing.

I digress: this album is completely brilliant.

[leopardo1973]

I am loving the tracks I have heard so far. Original, strange and beautiful.

[lockedintheattic]

I agree: utterly brilliant. I love the fact that she's branched out and become more interesting and experimental. I can't believe this hasn't been all over the boards already.

BUT - I have just come back from Glastonbury. And Roisin was easily the disappointment of the festival.

I begged, pleaded and cajoled various friends to come and see her with me on the Saturday afternoon, explaining how brilliant the album was.

We got there, and the field was pretty empty (probably for a combination of reasons - Keane were on the main stage at the same time; and because it was so muddy people seemed to be more reluctant to move to the smaller stages) which was a bad start. Then she came on (wearing what looked like fur, which was hardly likely to endear her to the Glastonbury crowd), and her microphone failed. So then we had to wait around while that wa sorted, but even when it going you could hardly hear her vocals in the mix. And by that stage she looked really pissed off. Then what little people were there started drifting away. Such a shame. I was so looking forward to it.

[Outroductive]

Roísín's album is special. I love it. At first, I was just confused, but it's a grower. On the originality front, Bjork springs to mind surely? It's bizarre in places and is like the theme music to a crazy jungle. I love "Ramalama (Bang Bang)".

I liked Moloko, even when they were unlistenable, I appreciated their originality.

[nickinoo]

I've heard great things about this album, it will never be a mainstream success but maybe one of these lost pop classics. I'm a semi-fan of Moloko, is this completely different? Guess I'll have to buy it and find out.

P.S. Am I the only one who doesn't believe in downloading albums?

[yesindeedy]

I agree -- this album is BRILIANT but it's already falling off the charts. Why isn't PJ plugging it (or even mentioning it). That bitch Alison Goldfrapp is all over the place, and she's just a cut-price version of Roisin.

And I saw her live on the first show of her tour, and she was amazing. Must've been a terrible day at Glastonbury.

[drbastard]

I do like this album a lot, it isn't as good as Arular but still very good.

[Dennis]

I'm sad to report her live show is indeed a complete shambles at the moment. Mind you, she's just starting out with a new band, but still, she pretty much made it through last night's concert here in Paradiso on goodwill alone.

:-(

The concert will be online in a while on www.fabchannel.com/

[diamond doggie bag]

Oh no - poor Roisin. She so doesn't deserve that. The poor Glastonbury crowd might also have something to do with the fact she was slagging off Coldplay a week or so ago. Gotta luv her!

Ruby Blue is brilliant by the way.

[Mike]

nickinoo said:

P.S. Am I the only one who doesn't believe in downloading albums?

I'm with you, to a certain extent. I'll always buy albums by my favourite artists, because the excitement of getting a new CD simply isn't matched by that of sitting at a computer waiting for a bunch of songs to finish downloading. This applies especially to lesser-known artists - there's no point complaining that not enough people bought someone's album if you didn't do so yourself.

[Born Under A Bad Song]

nickinoo said:

I'm a semi-fan of Moloko, is this completely different?

It is a beautiful and colourful record that will be familar to Moloko fans but it is still a marked progression. Roisin's lyrics and (superb) voice are along the same lines as in Moloko but the beats and samples that drive the musicallity of the songs give the album a more low-fi and organic spirit.

[NumanumAnzej]

I must check out this album. I'm quite a Moloko fan actually (where's the best of already!), although reading your comments, that might be a minus point. One thing I really don't get - how come it's only had chart success in Belgium?!

[absentminded]

Belgium is obscure and should normally be avoided at all costs! But they must have taste, maybe Moloko was big over there?

I love Ruby Blue, everytime i put it on i realise another track is my favourite! She is a Lyrical soul and i love 'if i call you dear its because you are'

Kinda agree about the Vid for 'if we're in love', but living up to 'Familier Feeling' is tough - That song makes me dance CRAZY!

[absentminded]

ooh, and Roisin posts on her own forum, which is nice

[fitz]

It's unlistenable, lets be honest

[Innerfuckingpeace]

numanumayay said:

I must check out this album. I'm quite a Moloko fan actually (where's the best of already!), although reading your comments, that might be a minus point. One thing I really don't get - how come it's only had chart success in Belgium?!

Belgium has two charts: a chart for the dutch speaking part of the country (Flanders) and a chart for the french speaking part (Wallonia). In Flanders it was a top 10 album. Why? Because Moloko toured a lot in Belgium during the "Statues" era and got loads of raving live reviews by critics. The album "Statues" hit #1 and "Forever More", while never being huge hit in the single charts, was played constantly on the radio and video channels that it can be considered as a classic in Flanders. Why that song was never huge in the rest of the world is a very odd thing.

"Ruby Blue" is brilliant, it's my favourite album of 2005. If you don't own it you're missing something special.

[klee]

Bumped: because I finally got round to buying it at the weekend.

Unlistenable? What nonsense. It's not an immediate album, but is superb all the same. There's some lovely stuff on here, and a lot of it shows off Roisin's voice in its best light too. She had a habit of sounding a bit affected on Moloko tracks (at times I kept thinking "You're not a cat for goodness' sake - just sing it").

I'm particularly loving The Closing Of The Doors, which is a beautiful little ballad, and Prelude To Love In The Making, which is miniature madness of the best variety.

What I can't understand for the life of me, however, is how this has found itself categorised as pop, or even electric pop. The nearest comparisons I can think of are jazz.

[Antti3000]

The album is great, not perfect, but really good anway. If you enjoy this and are not familiar with the producer Matthew Herbert, I suggest you go and check out his stuff. His 2001 album Bodily functions (released on K7) is a good start. Absolutely brilliant genius stuff, and I think actually more accessible than Ruby blue.

[n69n]

i liked moloko but they never really "GOT" me....but i am highly impressed with this album!!!
...& gets better on each listen!