Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics, Independent 2012.
I have only just come across this album, which was released ten years ago but is soaring, phoenix like, riding the wave of new soul acts who are exploring the Motown resurgence.
Ruby Velle was born in Canada but moved to California in the U.S. when she was young.
There she teamed up with a group of soul enthusiasts and they started making a name for themselves in the local scene.
It’s About Time is their debut album and it’s fabulous however, it’s remained a sleeper until recently.
Ruby has a voice that reminds me of Amy Winehouse, they are both steeped in R&B and Soul.
The 10 tracks on the album traverse the range of soul and R&B styles maintaining that old school vibe while at the same time bringing a freshness to it, making it relevant to today’s youth.
In the process of doing this they have received substantial critical acclaim from the music press with outlets such as The New York Daily News, MTV, Paste, and other critics singing their praises.
The lead single from the album, My Dear, has sold more than a quarter-million downloads on iTunes landing them in the Top 30 on Billboard’s Heatseeker Charts and placing the single, and the album, at number four on the iTunes R&B Chart.
There is a good video clip on YouTube of My Dear plus other songs from this album, and its follow-up State Of All Things which I’ll review in the coming weeks.
The group has shared the stage with some of the mega-stars of the industry including The Temptations, Lee Fields & The Expressions, Iggy Pop, Animal Collective, and even Kendrick Lamar so they have the licks to compete with the big names.
One of the interesting things is that despite their hard-won success the band has resisted the temptation to sign with one of the many labels that have pursued their signature, preferring to remain independent producers of their own music.
Many performers have taken this path as the power of the traditional music houses wanes due to the availability of music on the many platforms that now exist.
It also means that the writers maintain control of their writing credits.
It’s About Time is a good album and aptly named.
This band deserves to be widely known.
