The Here And The Now

Sam & Ruby | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 11, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B001QITO1Q
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,215 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 11-AUG-2009

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and Bland, September 13, 2009

By 

G. E. Williams "Nunah" (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Here And The Now (Audio CD)

(What's this?)

When I popped this into the CD player in my truck I was all smiles and bopping along to the wonderful beginning of the album, a very cool Jazzy R&B vibe, that unfortunately for me didn't hold all the way throughout.

The beautiful Ruby has vocals which work very well at the cool jazz genre' can't quite hold up under any kind of power. The middle of the album kind of melts into a Country Vibe, and Ruby comes off as Dolly Parton's weaker sister. In the future, I hope they play more to her strengths.

But.... Here's the deal.

What works well on this album really works well. For starters, the musicians playing on the album are amazing, really from start to finish, all the music is remarkable, especially the Cello, which I don't normally associate with pop music, but here it adds such an amazing richness, I was really pleased. Another thing is the songwriting; it is really very good, for instance "Chillin' with you" towards the end of the CD, is destined to be a popular theme song for a future movie or TV show, it is a pop master piece(at least to me).

So...

This is an album that starts out great and ends great with some less than great stuff in the middle, but overall it is an album I am happy to have, and I think you will be as well.

3 ½ *

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant, August 26, 2009

By 

B. Niedt (Cherry Hill, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Here And The Now (Audio CD)

(What's this?)

You have to wonder whether Sam Brooker and Ruby Amanfu have a Tuck-and-Patti thing going on - they'd be a cute couple, and certainly are that at least musically. Unlike the jazzy Tuck and Patti, though, they work more in a country/pop framework, and they have sweet-as-honey voices that harmonize very well. Their songs, while sometimes simplistic and clichéd lyrically, are melodically polished and get their point across effectively, with their often bittersweet love themes. There aren't any real "standout" songs, though - I don't see any of them becoming a big radio hit. It's all very sincere and heartfelt, if not groundbreaking music, the kind you could play for your mom on Sunday morning. I don't mean to sound snarky, really - it's well-done, romantic, and easy on the ear, and we all need a bit of that once in a while.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ain't Love Something, August 25, 2009

By 

prisrob "pris," (New England USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Here And The Now (Audio CD)

(What's this?)

Sam and Ruby have a great sound. If there was no Norah Jones or India Arie they would be big stars. A combination of pop, folk and R&B on their first CD, "Sam & Ruby: The Here and the Now." They are young and can still find their own way, and this is a great beginning.

Sam is from Wisconsin and Ruby is from Ghana. She plays a cello and Sam plays a fiddle. They met about ten years ago. Ruby came to the states with her family when she was small and they lived in Nashville. She went to Berklee School of Music in Boston but moved back to Nashville to find her musical voice. She and Sam seem to fit so well together. On some of their tunes it is difficult to know who is singing their voices blend so well together.

The twelve tunes are a mixed bag. My favorites are 'Sarah', a song about found letters and sung in a soft lazy manner. 'Heaven's My Home' is the tune that made it to the 'Bees' movie and is a contrast of both of their voices. 'The Here and The Now' the namesake of this CD. This is the one CD where it is difficult to know who is singing what. 'Chillin' is the one song that rocks. It is sung in the quiet mode of the pair. 'Ain't Love Somethin' is the last song on this CD and it is a fitting finish. it describes their relationship. This tune probably describes the entire CD- a love song.

Sam and Ruby are looking for a good stand, somewhere they can play their tunes, a place to go.
This CD might open some doors, but it is not the CD that will make their careers. They have a lot to say, and they are on their way to finding their own song. I look forward to hearing many more CDs.

Recommended. prisrob 08-25-09

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