You can’t go wrong with a Wailin’ Jenny. Ruth Moody is a Wailin’ Jenny and you therefore can’t go wrong with her album “These Wilder Things “especially if you like it smooth and mellow and classy.
Ruth Moody does the wistful thing well. “Make A Change”, for example, would surely turn the hardest of hearts into that of a sentimental fool. Likewise, the reflective depth that she brings to her cover of “Dancing In The Dark” transcends any accusation that you might bring of saccharine overload. What can I say? She’s tasteful and elegant and those very attributes are clearly evident in each and every note that she sings. She even plays the banjo whilst remaining entirely credible.
Whilst I often ponder the deeper meaning of the Americana genre and its many anodyne practitioners, it is fortunately only too clear that it is there is more that can be done if you have the talent to make the middle of the road interesting. Ruth Moody can do that. She draws on the same musical influences as so many others do but she shows poise, elegance and an understanding of what those influences can add to her songs. Nothing here would ever threaten your ears or your sanity for charm is her game and she weaves a wickedly effective spell to convince you of just that.
Throw in a guest appearance from Mark Knopfler and you can easily work out where Ruth Moody is going with “These Wilder Things”. May her walk to greater success be short.