Ruth Moody
These Wilder Things
2013
Trouble and Woe
One and Only
Dancing in the Dark
These Wilder Things
Trees for Skies
Pockets
Make a Change
One Light Shining
Life Is Long
Nothing Without Love
Ruth Moody’s These Wilder Things is full of timeless tunes from the haunting gospel sounds of “Trouble and Woe” to the bluegrassy “One Light Shining” (featuring Jerry Douglas) to the Irish-flavored “Life Is Long.” This recording delves deeper into darker, indie-pop sounds, especially on songs like the moody title track or “Pockets,” featuring iconic roots-rocker Mark Knopfler on guitar and vocals. “The album deals with some darker themes and has more of an urgency to it,” Ruth says. “About half of the album I recorded with my band–so it certainly has lots of live energy.” At times acoustic and understated and at other times electric and adventurous with organ and horns, These Wilder Things explores the midnight heartbreaks and morning revelations of love and loss. “It can be scary to go to some of those darker and deeper places,” Ruth says. “But it was rewarding to face it all head on — that is where the real emotional intensity lives and I think that’s what moves people.”
The nine originals on this record prove Ruth is a first-rate songwriter along the lines of Gillian Welch, while her stunning makeover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” would even leave The Boss’s jaw on the floor. Appealing to indie fans as well as lovers of folk and Americana music, These Wilder Things confirms that Ruth Moody is indeed one force to be reckoned with.