Reuben And The Dark – “Funeral Sky”
Mere seconds into Funeral Sky’s opening track Bow And Arrow we hear the first reference to the great outdoors, a theme that is visited repeatedly throughout Reuben And The Dark’s debut album.
When singer/ songwriter Reuben Bollock sings about going “over the mountains and under the clouds”, he does so with an undeniable zest that is immediately infectious to the listener.
Hailing from Calgary, RATD have released an inspiring album that is as much a testimony to the Canandian wilderness as anything else, with virtually every track passionately inducing images of mountains, rivers and the countryside in general.
Devil’s Time is the jangling soundtrack to a road trip, drawing us along for the ride as we navigate perilous winding roads with gay abandon. Combined with the most rocking track on the album, single Rolling Stone, these opening moments kickstart the album in a free spirited manner before things things shift into a mellower ponderous mode.
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Goosebump inducing Shoulderblade, with it’s stripped back acoustic guitar and the haunting minimalism of piano driven Standing Still come as a suprise of sorts after a fairly up tempo beginning to the record.
As well as the aforementioned influence of scenery, religion plays a substantial role in Bullock’s songwriting. With call and response vocals delivered over a very church sounding organ, Marionette comes across more or less as a prayer before exploding rather unexpectedly into a jagged rock outro. Along with Devil’s Time, this emerges as an album highlight.
Whilst RATD have definitely put their own flavour into the folk rock genre, possible comparisons came be made to the likes of Midlake, whilst the vocal delivery and religous element bring to mind some of The Violent Femmes earlier work. Much like fellow Canadians Great Lake Swimmers, RATD have produced what could be described as a sonic postcard. After multiple listens the urge to flee the city with a healthy supply of whiskey and head for a cabin in the woods becomes increasingly tempting.
He can also be found clinging to his youth on a skateboard or wandering aimlessly through the bush.
- The Beards @ The Metro, 2nd July ’16 - July 8, 2016
- Parkway Drive @ Wollongong Uni, 25th June ’16 - July 1, 2016
- Basement @ The Factory, 27th May ’16 - June 3, 2016
