If you live in Los Angeles and consider yourself a fan of the local music scene, than you should already know about The Sister Ruby Band. The psych-rock project of 23 year old Marlon Rabenreither (aka Johnny Ruby), has been a staple at the Desert Nights sessions at the Standard Hollywood, and they’ve played every lounge and club from Silverlake to Hollywood. They’ve received praise from Kevin Bronson, KCRW, and of course here on the pages of Rabbits Black. We’ve decided to bring them to the Westside on January 26th for the PATH Charity Concert to show everyone along the coast what all the buzz is really about.
Front man and songwriter Marlon Rabenreither has been the only consistent member of the band since it’s inception. The current lineup has enjoyed the longest period of continuity thanks to the sonic cohesiveness provided by Carlos Laszlo on drums and Sam Thornton on bass and guitar. We’ve had some fond words for The Sister Ruby Band in the past, and you can read them all here. Behind the powerful vocals of Marlon, the band paints a landscape of swirling guitars and a melody worthy of being the soundtrack to your spiritual journey alone in the desert. Take some time with their music, and you’ll find yourself lost in the honest lyrics of the 23 year old but caught in the web of their seemingly inherent mastery of the genre.
Marlon Rabenreither aka Johnny Ruby.
Most of what we have to listen to comes from their 2011 debut release In Cold Blood. The band has aided fans in the appreciation of their music with a steady stream of low-fi music videos that have helped develop the band’s young story. Since the release of In Cold Blood, the band has remained relatively quiet- recording some material here and there, and playing small shows across LA. But two new singles this past October changed all of that. “Oh Mercy” and “KO Blues” were produced by Los Angeles based Rick Parker. Rick’s worked with a band you may have heard of before- he mixed Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s revered albums Howl and Baby 81. Rick’s influence resulted in a bigger sound on “KO Blues” and a radio ready single in “Oh Mercy”. As stand alone tracks, they are some of the best work the band has ever recorded. So what does this all mean? First, a follow up to In Cold Blood has a good chance at being the album that propels The Sister Ruby Band to new heights in instant fashion. Second, the expectations for Marlon Rabenreither’s “psych-rock project” have been raised significantly. Bring those expectations with you on January 26th, and we guarantee you they will be surpassed.
A few spots are left for Rabbits Black Presents: 8mm & The Sister Ruby Band – A Charity Concert Experience on January 26th, 2013 @ Dakota Lounge. RSVP for free entry by e-mailing Tickets@RabbitsBlack.com.
Watch The Sister Ruby Band in the music video for “Oh Mercy” here:
You can stream the band’s debut album In Cold Blood from this article.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.
You must be logged in to post a comment.