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Locals Ruby Lane chart a course for the heart of rock ‘n’ roll on their recent album “Trains, Spaceships and Automobiles.”
Sometimes the ride is fast and dangerous, with the band offering a loose, liberated mix of Clapton-esque blues and modern garage rock. More often, Ruby Lane takes the scenic route, its rock ‘n’ roll flame burning slow and hot.
Other than a tossed-off intro track, the shortest cut here is just under 4 and 1/2 minutes; several songs run around 7 to 8 minutes long. The band stretches out into those spaces, enjoying the room to settle into a groove, build up to cathartic climaxes and, occasionally, wander off into thick growth.
While not a Beatles cover, the first proper track — “Get Back” — leans into the more hirsute, hippie-fied side of George Harrison’s later catalog. The tune benefits from a confident, gliding forward motion. The production here reveals a band that loves finding its flow — and really loves its guitar pedals.
As the song winds up, Ruby Lane peeks over the fence at lush lawns belonging to its jam-band neighbors, then stays in its own yard — for the moment.
Next up, “Words” evokes the spirit of early-aughts hitmakers Jet (“Are You Gonna Be My Girl”), uniting garage-rock grit, stadium swagger and an appropriately raspy vocal lead. On an album that emphasizes feel, “Words” might house its most satisfying groove.
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The next three cuts — “7 Legged Spider,” “T.S.A.” and “Corona” — create something of a triptych. More free-form than their predecessors, these songs will satiate listeners who dig the loose-limbed side of rock and frustrate those interested in a more driving, direct attack.
The jagged guitar tone and playful piano on “T.S.A.” — which don’t quite cover for some cringeworthy lyrics — and the dramatic payoff of “Corona” best commend the album’s middle section.
Ruby Lane threads the needle between all its musical loves on “Freedom,” which sounds like a lost Woodstock jam. The song starts off dark and searing, a prominent bassline and the promise of a propulsive groove working in tandem, creating anticipation. A horn section punctuates musical phrases, again gesturing toward what’s on its way.
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Each pass troubles the waters and raises the temperature a few degrees until the band erupts through the coda into compelling cries of “freedom!”
Of all the songs here, closer “Red Stars” makes the best use of its extended running time — a few seconds shy of 8 minutes — living in a similar space as Pearl Jam’s classic power ballad “Black.” Echoes of that band’s guitar tone and magnetic soul resonate throughout “Red Stars,” and the cut builds to something beautiful and wild.
It might be an overstatement to suggest Ruby Lane is all things to all rock lovers, but something on “Trains, Spaceships and Automobiles” should appeal to nearly everyone living beneath that larger tent. The push-and-pull between structure and freedom defines the album, allowing both for self-indulgence and amplifying the band’s best instincts.
adanielsen@columbiatribune.com
573-815-1731
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