aaamusic | On 05, Dec 2010

Ruarri Joseph may have been off your radar for a while following a turbulent 2009 but he is back with a gorgeous slice of acoustic heaven that has been more than worth the wait. Understated and honest, “Shoulder To The Wheel” marks Joseph’s return to recording and what a glorious album it is.

The album begins with “Nervous Grin,” a perfect example of deft fingerpicking done in the right way, there is no self indulgence here just good quality song writing and that is before I have even gotten to the vocal. Ruarri Joseph is in the same breed as Willy Mason in that his vocal performance is effortless and yet majestic at the same time. It is a quiet, understated opening that has an almost haunting quality and sets up the album perfectly.

Second track and lead single “An Orchard For An Apple” is probably the stand out track on the album where a change in tempo does nothing to distract from Joseph’s vocals that are undoubtedly the central force of the entire album. It is here that the beauty behind the lyrical content on the album is able to fully shine; at times the songs feel like poetry set to music and invoke memories of Bob Dylan at his most tuneful. The personal feeling behind lyrics such as, “I threw myself in at the deep end from the highest, darkest height but that’s alright” is laid bare for the listener to interpret at will; this is truly lovely stuff.

“Severed Dreams” is one of the more interesting tracks on the album, experimenting with form more than one would expect. It allows raw honesty to be expressed inside a different format than one would ordinarily expect from an acoustic ballad. It is this that is so interesting about “ Shoulder To The Wheel;” it defies the listener’s expectations in a way that acoustic music rarely does and at times it really is difficult to do anything other than just sit back and listen. “Rich Folks Hoax” is the first track to divert from the age old themes of love and loss, instead taking a break to look at society as a whole rather than providing a microcosmic view. It doesn’t shine as brightly as the tracks that come before it but neither does it feel like filler; instead it allows the listener something of a reflection space after the strong intimacy of the first three tracks.

“As Always” is one of my favourite tracks on the album. Fool of longing that never feels as though it is resolved, the poetic quality of Joseph’s lyrics doesn’t come much clearer than this. The fade at the end of the track feels as though the song is still open to an ending that hasn’t yet come and it is the perfect set up for next track, “For The Love Of Grace.” It is difficult to say much about this track other than it is just an absolutely brilliant song and another stand out on this album managing to be reminiscent of classic rock at the same time as keeping a folk edge.

“A Fool Of Us All” twangs of country folk at the same time as being haunting due to the inclusion of a harmonica section. Joseph sounds much older than his 28 years here, managing to sound both weary and wise at the same time as his advice that “love makes a fool of us all” plays out over the top of a gorgeous instrumental. “Keep On Strolling” is about as close as you get to an upbeat track on this album and again comparisons to Dylan will be thick and fast coming. It is a bluesy track which is a marked difference to everything that comes before it yet still manages to have a vivacious intensity that is difficult to describe. I am not a big fan of solely instrumental tracks but “Caveman, Yellow, An Ordinary Life” is a necessary inclusion on this album. It manages to be reflective and melodic without ever feeling that vocals are lacking and blends with “Keep On Strolling” seamlessly.

“Raining Stone” welcomes Joseph’s vocals back into the mix and the juxtaposition of a string section with an acoustic guitar is one of the best parts of the album musically for me. Keeping understated, the song never grabs you but instead lets you appreciate the sheer quality that is on show here. “Glance Across The Street” finds our narrator observing the rise and predicting the fall of a friend that he admires in a rare piece of social commentary rather than purely personal lyric. The breakdown in this song is a personal highlight as it allows the song to build in momentum so that its conclusion feels very low key and very classy.
“The Faithless Few” is a return to the quiet sound of “Nervous Grin” with just a fingerpicked introduction yet it doesn’t feel as though the album has come full circle; it has moved somewhere. The lyrics seem to no longer ask but demand and this is one of the most confident tracks on the album.

“Shoulder To The Wheel” is a lesson in a class; low key yet always impressive, Joseph manages to avoid production tricks and just allow the beauty of his vocal shine above everything else. To describe the album in three words it would be raw, honest and beautiful, miles away from much of the dross that currently surrounds the charts. Joseph may have been away for a while but on the basis of this album he certainly shouldn’t be forgotten; highly recommended.

Author: Josie Payne