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Ruby Vroom
Rock · 1994 · 8 tracks

Ruby Vroom

A sample-heavy, beat-poetry journey through urban cynicism and jazz-inflected grooves. Quirky production meets spoken-word narratives.

September 27, 1994 · Round Hill Records

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Ruby Vroom is a sonic stroll through the grimy, beautiful underbelly of urban life, filtered through a lens of beat poetry, jazz, and off-kilter rock. It's an album built on a foundation of eclectic samples, a walking upright bass, and Mike Doughty's distinctive spoken-word delivery, which shifts between wry cynicism and earnest observation. The grooves are often hypnotic, sometimes sparse, always imbued with a restless energy that feels perfectly suited for late-night contemplation in a city that never truly sleeps.

Tracklist · 8 Tracks
01
Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago
3:49
03
Casiotone Nation
3:50
08
Moon Sammy
4:09
09
Supra Genius
3:59
10
City of Motors
4:39
11
Uh, Zoom Zip
3:57
12
Down to This
3:50
13
Mr. Bitterness
5:33
Moments Worth Listening For
The way Raymond Scott's 'Powerhouse' loop anchors 'Bus to Beelzebub', creating a hypnotic, almost industrial groove.
The sudden, wild, yelling ad-libs by Mike Doughty on 'Casiotone Nation', delivered through the cheap Ahuja bullhorn, adding a raw, unhinged energy.
The distinctive upright bassline driving 'Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago', punctuated by the 'Courageous Cat' theme, giving it a cool, jazzy, yet off-kilter feel.
Rachel Benbow Murdy's improvised 'Lemon Tree' vocal on 'Janine', recorded through a payphone, adding a uniquely lo-fi, melancholic texture.
Reviews

How does Ruby Vroom sound next to the rest of Soul Coughing's catalogue?

Mysterious+0.9σ

Mysterious saturates this record a touch more than the artist's norm.

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