Video: The Ruby Suns, “There Are Birds”
- story THE FADER
What’s up with bands getting all in to making old timey videos again? Didn’t Marilyn Manson do that back in the day? Tori Amos? Whatever. Someone gothy was all about it. Either way, pretending you are in a silent movie is not a substitute for a concept, even in these straight-to-Youtube days. The Ruby Suns get a pass on the strength of the Science of Sleep-style closing sequence of a rickety airplane flying through the clouds, which perfectly captures the band’s youthful joy.
Levi’s®/FADER Fort Video: The Ruby Suns
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What a perfect name for a perfect band. Shoeless/canvas shoed, they played every kind of instrument while wearing every kind of color all at once. Dude was playing an electronic bass drum with his foot while also playing guitar. Lady was playing a kazoo and the bass at the same time and when she was done with the kazoo, she just dropped that shit like a hot potato. We’re not saying everything should sound like summer, but when you come from the bitter brr of New York to the happy sun of Texas, it’s really perfect to hear music that sounds like wind blowing through your hair and stars being born and artists making art and feeling feelings and we are thankful for that little New Zeland shimmy they brought stateside. (Video: Hanly Banks)
Video: The Ruby Suns, “Tane Mahuta”
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We talked to Auckland, New Zealand’s the Ruby Suns not too long ago (read that here) and the thing that struck us most was his story about their tour bus catching fire, incinerating all their belongings and resulting in a benefit show at a church in small town Washington. Their antics ended up on the front page of that town’s paper, which may have inspired them to create this tabloidy video for the excellent “Tane Mahuta” off Sea Lion. Or not. We’re reaching probably. Regardless, Ruby Suns will be at SXSW this year playing a bunch of shows (wink wink), so if you’re down there make sure to check them out.
Audio/Q+A: The Ruby Suns, “Kenya Dig It?”
- story THE FADER
The other day we put The Ruby Suns‘ Sea Lion on ye olde rickety FADER hi-fi and were pretty shocked—jubilant drum rolls and rubbery Graceland style bass coheres around everything from chimes to what sounds like echoed new age pan pipes like the dudes in Times Square play. (Sometimes it also sounds like Panda Bear backed by an orchestra, and even though we never thought about it, Panda Bear backed by an orchestra would be pretty fucking awesome.) Mostly though, Sea Lion is full of good vibes, and even though it is January and grey we think we may have found one of those summer jam albums that causes us to pump our fists in the middle of the street, skipping over rainbows and smiling huge. Sea Lion comes out in the US on Sub Pop on March 4th. We briefly caught up with Ryan McPhun, and talked to him about New Zealand, playing in churches in small town Washington, and making music in general. Check their MySpace for some older jams, also check “Kenya Dig It?” from Sea Lion below.
