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The Rubens:
Esmerelda
If you squint, you can make out the Van Morrison comparisons The Rubens press release would have you believe exist. You might also imagine Van Morrison singing these songs, but that may lead you to like this band less, since how many people have such a voice? This is not a bad record (or EP rather), but the songs here deserve better arrangements (and perhaps a better voice). The Belton brothers have written some good songs with modest hooks, but you cant help but think of a cheap car with a V8 engine. Though its hard to pick on an indie band with little means for production, plenty of bands have managed to pull off provocative sounds with the tiniest of budgets. The Rubens, after all, may just need a producer. But again, the songs are here. Cheeky Munkey is a fine tune and probably the best vehicle for brother Dannys vocals. Listen to the guitar lines on this one perfectly complimentary. They add a whole new dimension to the song. The horns are a nice touch, too. Listening to these songs reminded me of a story Burt Bacharach once told on a documentary about The Carpenters. He had been working on a song with some singer in the studio, and it wasnt going anywhere. Then The Carpenters got a hold of it and transformed it and made it work. It was the same song, but it had been filtered through a different band. The song was (They Long to Be) Close to You. This leads me to believe The Rubens may just be better songwriters than performers.
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