The Ralph Jones Band

The dilapidated backwoods shack that graces Drowning in Kentucky's cover conjures the thought of a blues-sludge jam in which back porch twang replaces Jon Spencer's hipster swagger. Still, looks can be deceiving. Seemingly oblivious to preconceptions, the three members of The Ralph Jones Band (none of whom are named Ralph Jones) have churned out a damn fine album of rural psychedelic folk-pop.
The Band's sound is unique and compelling. White boy country blues are flavored with hints of a melancholy Neutral Milk Hotel. Warbled vocals and erratic musical accents harken back to the mind-altering psychedelia of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, while bits of Big Star's grandiose textured pop are tucked into delightful bluesy shuffles. Traces of Phish's campy folk surface in uninhibited mid-song tempo changes that further accentuate the group's trippy edge.

That said, folk-pop overtones dominate the record. The Appalachian folk and erratic orchestration reveal elements of the many incarnations of Palace Music, with a distinct pop flair that makes for a more accessible ride but maintains a revival-preacher's creepy charisma. Acoustic and instrumental balladry on "I Am A Hunter And A Scientist" suggests a more energetic and slightly more upbeat Songs: Ohia, but the Palace comparison is more consistently accurate.

Serving as a self-descriptive musical mantra, "Drowning In KY" (the state, not the personal lubricant) describes The Ralph Jones Band's inherent charm and captivating simplicity: "Rolling tumbling clouds / You try to break for higher ground / ... It caught you in the valley / Where the waters can swiftly rise / It's hard to break for higher ground / Slippity-slide." Yes, it sounds like jam-band fodder, but rings far more true.

If the description sounds tempting, here's the downside: Drowning In Kentucky is almost criminally short. It doesn't even cross the thirty-minute barrier, so the band has relatively little time in which to work its way into your psyche. Once they do it, though, they're in there to stay.

It's true, you never get the blues freakout jam the cover art seems to promise, but you're better off. Drowning In Kentucky delivers a brand-new sound in comfortable style; the Kentucky trio's debut yields wholly unexpected riches.



-- Ryan Smith
- splendidezine.com