self-released
The 60s are back . Ruha, a band comprised of members of moe., Dr. Didg, Small Appliances, and Dexter Grove, is all about uniting people through music. Their message is pretty hippie-ish: you know, peace, love, everyone is welcome at our shows. Their music? Unlike Dr. Didg, theres no crazy didgeridoo; unlike Dexter Grove, it lacks the acid rock feel. The bands debut album, The Dust That Lands, is mellow, and has a coffeehouse vibe to it.
The experience that each band member has garnered separately adds up to dozens of albums and thousands of shows between them. Its no surprise, then, that The Dust That Lands has a clean, put-together sound. The band aimed to focus less on jamming and more on the music and lyrics themselves. The vocals of Charley Orlando, ex-Dexter Grove, immediately remind me of John Cameron Mitchells Hedwig so much so that I did some Internet research to see just maybe if it was in fact Orlando who sung on the soundtrack. Nope.
The songs, for the most part, are upbeat and modern. Sometimes its hard to tell when one ends and another begins, though there are some tracks that stand out. Arkansas almost has a Celtic vibe, the opening of My Angel sounds like a Counting Crows Round Here, and Worry is heavier, louder, and quicker than the rest of the album.
Yes, Ruha is going to unite people musically. Fans of the members previous bands and side projects are sure to take a listen, and newbies are sure to pick up The Dust That Lands.