There’s an element of practical, intimate simplicity in Ruth Gerson‘s latest album, This Can’t Be My Life, and one can’t help but admire her head-on approach to such intense and personal songs. It was originally ready for release in 2007, but was pushed back so that she could spend more time with her two young daughters and cope with a recent divorce.
All this, and she has another album in the pipeline after this one; is it possible for one woman to do it all? Gerson’s voice embodies a quality which is equal parts sweet and sultry, reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt or perhaps, Joni Mitchell, with occasional hints of a moody, downtempo trip-hop vibe.
As soon as you find yourself inspired by one song, she hits you over the head with the next; “Black Water” and the title track , are both rife with powerful lyrics and a relentless, bluesy piano to match.
There are also moments of vulnerability, such as “Stay With Me”, a dreamy pillow talk anthem of lost love; the lyrics a plea for something to hold onto: “You want me to be my true self/with you and trust you/I want to.”
“Bulletproof”, a sleepy fight song with a sixties vibe, is sprinkled with strings, organ, and tasteful vocal effects that sound current yet simultaneously retro. The most personal track is probably “Hazel”, a song she wrote for her youngest daughter amidst the storm of an abusive relationship.
Ruth Gerson takes every note to show us that even if it’s not her life, it’s her album with her words, and it’s a good one.
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