The Psychedelic Sounds Of The Ruby Suns -

The Psychedelic Sounds Of The Ruby Suns

5:35 PM GMT 11/04/2008

LOVERS OF THE SONIC depth and psychedelic scale of last year’s Panda Bear album, Person Pitch, have another small wonder of happy-clappy nu-worldpsych to cherish, this time hailing from the unlikely antipodean environs of New Zealand.

25-year-old Ryan McPhun is the man with the plan. A refugee from California washed up in Auckland, McPhun toured with Kiwi acts The Brunettes and Tokey Tones, before releasing his self-admittedly “Beach Boys-y” debut album The Ruby Suns in 2005.

The current Sea Lion is a whole other thing, however. A glorious mélange of found-sound, flamenco, African pop, even Tropicalia steals, overlaid with gently quirky vocal harmonies (associates Amee Robinson and Imogen Taylor lend pipes), it could be the best NZ contribution to rock since The Chills’ Submarine Bells (we’re forgetting Crowded House – oh well).

Yet their pithy story-so-far could have ended in disaster, as their tour bus caught fire on the road in the States last year, nixing an audition with Sub Pop’s Jonathan Poneman. “In about ten minutes, it burnt to the ground,” recalls McPhun, “with all our gear inside.”

Luckily, Poneman liked the Sea Lion demos so much, he signed The Ruby Suns anyway. But remember to buy their record all the same – McPhun could use a new van.

Oh, Mojave

Pacific-peyote psychfolk strum. Mysterious sirens (or even Sirens) intervene. Scintillatingly barmy and balmy. “It was inspired by camping with my mother and sister in the Mojave desert,” says McPhun. “The noises at the end are us sitting around this campfire we made, clanking together the pots and pans we’d cooked dinner with.”

Kenya Dig It?

You’ve got to love a song title that’s bad like a 1991 NME headline. Then all derisive thoughts are banished by crashing snares, mellifluous flutes and McPhun’s carefree use of the word “oesophagus”.

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The Ruby Suns tour the UK in May, supporting their next single, Kenya Dig It?. Here are the dates…

16 May / Manchester - The Deaf Institute
17 May / Brighton - The Great Escape Festival
19 May / London - Hoxton Bar & Grill (with Most Serene Republic)
20 May / Leicester - Firebug
21 May / Leeds - Faversham (with Most Serene Republic)
22 May / Sheffield - Leadmill (with Most Serene Republic)
23 May / Glasgow - The Captains Rest (with Most Serene Republic)
24 May / Nottingham - Dot to Dot Festival
25 May / Bristol - Dot to Dot Festival
26 May / London - Amersham Arms
28 May / Liverpool - Korova (with Most Serene Republic)
29 May / Belfast – Auntie Annie's
30 May / Dublin - Crawdaddy

For more info go to...

www.myspace.com/therubysuns
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Ruby+Suns
www.memphis-industries.com

Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 5:35 PM GMT 11/04/2008