From Amazon.com
Boston-via-Ireland rockers Rubyhorse prove themselves to be no one-trick pony on their major-label debut,
Rise. The quintet's strength lies with uplifting rock decorated with catchy choruses and soaring melodies. "Sparkle" is as infectious as its name implies, rife with walls of rippling guitar and bass chime. "Happy in the Sunshine" embraces towering riffs and an Oasis-esque roar, while "Into the Lavender" has a Verve-like grasp of layered solos and controlled chaos. Other tracks showcase the band's melodicism and instrumentation--"The First of the Year" is a gentle lullaby driven by dreamy flute loops, while the majestic "Punchdrunk" contains quivering slide guitar from the late George Harrison himself. Yet spots of keyboard-driven grooves are just as infectious and temper Rubyhorse's earnestness--"Evergreen" and "Teenage Distraction" especially have a seductive electronic bite. Indeed, Rubyhorse's good-natured, upbeat content is neither trite nor clich, and their combination of intricate riffs and dance-floor style is seamless. Straightforward rock without being purely straightforward, the self-assured
Rise is definitely an album worthy of more than a few spins.
--Annie Zaleski
