Ruby Jones is one of those musicians whose whole life has largely been spent in the pursuit of music, with a calling to the craft as a youngster soon finding itself following her for the entirety of her life.
If her name isn’t one that’s familiar, there’s a very good chance you might have seen her as part of Melbourne soul outfit Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, which existed until 2015 and boasted Ruby as a member.
Since then though, she’s been very active as a solo artist, having launched her career a few years later, and releasing the stellar The Woman Who Loves You album in 2021. There was a bit of a gap between releases after that, however, and it’s taken us a little while to receive her new record, Souvenir.
Arriving last week, it’s one of those records which definitely falls into the category of ‘worth the wait’, because Ruby has crafted an 11-track collection of tunes which showcase her stunning approach to folk and rock. Touching upon myriad topics such as creativity, heartbreak, toxic relationships, a love of place, and even climate catastrophes, it’s a record which is varied in its approach, though anyone would be consistent in their opinion that it’s a wonderful release.
You might have guessed by now, but this week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Ruby about her musical career, and how it led to the release of her new record.
Anyway, have a listen to her Souvenir album, buy a ticket to her upcoming launch show, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
Ruby Jones’ Trusty Chords
Ruby’s One Influential Artist
- Stevie Nicks
Ruby’s Three Impactful Albums
- Joni Mitchell – For The Roses (1972)
- Marianne Faithfull – Broken English (1979)
- Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2006)
Ruby’s Five Trusty Songs
- Bob Dylan – ‘Changing Of The Guards’ (1979)
- Joanna Newsom – ‘Good Intentions Paving Co.’ (2010)
- Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris – ‘Wildflowers’ (1987)
- Nina Simone – ‘To Love Somebody’ (1969)
- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – ‘Into My Arms’ (1997)
Honourable Mention:
- The Whitlams – ‘No Aphrodisiac’ (1997)