Perth based country singer/songwriter Ruby Boots (a.k.a. Bex Chilcott) follows-up a pair of well received EP’s (Ruby Boots and Somebody Take Me Away) with her debut full-length album, Solitude. While a solo venture, Chilcott pulled together a stellar set of musicians to back her recording including: Aussie troubadour Jordie Lane, Vicki Thorn (The Waifs), Davey Lane (You Am I), and Bill Chambers (Kasey Chambers). The title Solitude references the time Chilcott worked as a deckhand on a pearl boat, teaching herself to play and write at night while out at sea. In contrast to that peaceful vision, the album itself is a fiery blend of 10 whiskey-soaked songs that feature Chilcott’s stunning vocals and polished songwriting which tackles themes of isolation, heartache, fear and triumph. Standouts include: opener “Cola and Wine”; the soulful title track; and the melancholy steel guitar driven tracks “Ruby Blues” and “Middle of Nowhere.” Ruby Boots’ Solitude is one of the strongest debuts I’ve heard in the past few years – she is a rising talent that shows exceptional promise. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Casey Chambers, Emmylou Harris, Nikki Lane, Lindi Ortega, Wagons