Ruark is an American artist who has just come to my attention thanks to the release of his second album, Waiting on a Breeze.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Daven Sipe
Growing up in East Texas and South Arkansas, Ruark had to find his own way to music after MTV was banned by his hometown. He got into punk and rock acts like Ramones, Nirvana and Green Day while skating and it was enough to make him want to study music formally, which he did at the University of Texas.
Waiting on a Breeze sees him join forces with his wife, Alexa Joyce, on bass, and Alexa’s brother, Joseph Bethany, on drums. Both provide backing vocals to give the collection a warm, soulful sound. Together, they recorded the album in their home studio on basic equipment, meaning its sense of intimacy and immediateness is easy to hear.
Musically, it’s a tricky album to label. Essentially, Ruark are a rock band, but they also take influence from folk, Latin and classic pop, meaning it’s not the kind of rock you might expect. Jangly opener Don’t Look Back is a case in point. It opens as a throwback punk song before taking a melodic diversion.
Whatever you class it as, it creates the perfect foundation onto which Ruark’s intriguing song-writing is poured. The lyrics across Waiting on a Breeze are as poetic as they are emotional, and Ruark makes great use of metaphor and imagery to bring that emotion to life. Hedonistic and cynical moments like Into the Sun and Over Me are contrasted nicely by heart-wrenching ones like Out of Ashes and By My Side. Love Is Destiny shows a lighter side of love with its tribute to long-term relationships.
The album is wrapped up nicely by its title track which gives us a reflective storytelling finale that lingers long after its last note is played.
I’m so glad to have discovered Ruark’s music. He is fiercely independent, bringing his own point of view to an industry that’s crying out for original thinkers. Open-minded listeners will get a lot out of his new album.
Waiting on a Breeze was self-produced by Ruark and you can give it a listen below.
