In the wake of 2004’s Your Blues, Destroyer’s Rubies seems to bea stark 180 turn from the former's MIDI and synth drenched sound. Thesound on this record is lush and organic, recalling early '70s artrockers like Bowie, T. Rex and Roxy Music. And while Daniel Bejar andhis band provide the songs with a solid musical, he takes a page fromthe post-modernism handbook, imbuing his songs with a grand sense ofpurpose, yet inserting word games and nonsensical imagery as a counterpoint.
On the epic leadoff track “Rubies,” Bejar declares “Oh, it’s just yourprecious American Underground, and it is born of wealth. With not awriter in the lot.” While this may seem to be a cheap potshot on hisneighbors to the south, the line is emblematic for much of therecord. This is a writer’s record, filled with all the obtusewordplay andveiled metaphors one would expect. That Bejar delivers these oftenobtuse lines in a Dylan-esque croon only reinforces this fact. Andwhile I’m loathe to break out the Dylan connection, “Your Blood”bounces along to a honky-tonk piano, bluesy guitar, and seeminglystream of conscious lyrics, sounding an awful lot like a lost song fromBlonde on Blonde.
Just as important as the instrumentation or lyricshere is Bejar’s captivating and charismatic vocals. He allows his voiceto jump along, unrestrained by the structures of his song. While thistendency often becomes boring or, worse still, annoying in othervocalists (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, anyone?), Bejar’s vocals workwonderfully here. “Painter in Your Pocket,” perhaps the strongest songhere, floats along warm organ drones and subdued guitar playing, slowlybuilding into a bouncy sing-along.
For the most part, Destroyer’sRubies is a remarkably sophisticated and assured record. While thereare a few points where Bejar’s lyrics fall flat and the instrumentationbecomes a bit clunky, such as on “A Dangerous Woman Up to a Point,”Destroyer’s Rubies is a record that at once feels ancient andcontemporary.
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