Customer Reviews

Rube

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Matt King is one of the best alternative/country artists that you may not know of, and Rube is one of 2008's best albums that you WILL hear about. A project years in the making, Rube projects an American musical sound and theme that might make you rethink American music. Somehow, King succeeds in tapping into the world of carnival barkers, makeshift tattoo parlors, and prison chain-gangs that so explicitly influence his vision of our culture. If you have smelled the smoke infested reek of a roadhouse, if you tasted moonshine, if you have wiped oil out of your eyes in your job, or if you licked your own bloody nose after a brawl, you'll recognize this music. The editorial review on this page does a nice job of highlighting the likely hits and providing synopses for them. I like Shanty Town (the 'single'), American Dream, and of course Cursing the Ohio. This is raw American music. Try it and pass the word. Tip; listen to the whole album in a sitting, at least twice. You'll be glad you did. It's like a movie.

It's simple: THIS ALBUM IS LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER HEARD! I wouldn't try to put this music into a genre or a little labeled box. If you like that sort of thing and want to make sure that you can label this music then this album is not for you. I heard the production on this joint was done in Jay Joyce's basement by a buddy of mine that lives in Nash. Pretty bada$$...not your typical sound. I can't wait to see what this cat cooks up next.

Honestly I don't have much to add in respects to what the others have already stated. What I want to say however is this is an oustanding album! I can't even pigeon hole it to a certain genre of music. The album feels like a book, every song is a chapter in which Matt King paints us picture of a story or memory from his life. This album is dark & sinister, but always feels as if Matt King is trying to rise above it or escape.

This album is one of a kind album & it's a shame that it will probably never get the credit it deserves. And as a result the rest of us outside the southern part of the US may never get a chance to see King perform.

I really like this guy. He is a storyteller type of song writer and he can tell some good ones. His band is smoking hot with a big nod to the lead guitar player. A must listen.

I don't know if it is possible to top this CD but Matt please try! Your fans are waiting for more.

I discovered "Rube" after hearing a track in a horror movie. Loved the song, and now I am a complete "Rube" fanatic. I listen to this album all the time. It's gotten me through a tough couple of years, making all this money struggle (and the bottom dropping out of my career) somewhat tolerable. It's nice to know there are still artists I can relate to (you know, who haven't lost touch because of all their money) and it's especially rare in today's marketplace to find a real album, not just a collection of tracks, that dares to be a complete musical experience. There isn't a weak track here, and it's quite a potent journey from the dog barking at the top of "Shanty Town" to the last, lingering and haunted shoop of "Waiting at the Bottom."

The music is hardly classifiable (thank goodness,) although I see a lot of people refer to it as "alternative country." I think ultimately it is a kickin' rock album, pure and simple, southern fried and beautifully uncompromising. The lyrics are passionate and original, and thematically speaking seem to speak to the frustrations of the working/middle class. And while the country has broken down to in-fighting over political parties and religious beliefs, this album feels like a call to true unity...it's us versus the top two percent, not each other! The heartbreaking "American Dream" illustrates a place so many of us are in, working for the man and choking back pride to make a buck, whether it be metaphorical or quite literal depending on what you do for a living. And by the time the album reaches a crescendo with "Hell's Kitchen" and "Bristol" back-to-back, it's darn near enough to make me want to start a revolution. (I have no idea what King's political leanings actually are, but this interpretation certainly works for mine.)

If you have to pick one track to sample, my wife loves "Eden's Apple," a love song of a different color and the highest order, my personal favorites are "Hell's Kitchen" and "American Dream," and my five-year-old son always requests "Silvertone" as he quite enjoys singing along to the chorus (although I have a hard time explaining what that track is about to someone so young!) But I urge you to give the entire album a try, and I hope it blows your mind the way it did mine...because, you know what, if it does, that gives me some real doggone hope.

Thanks, Mr. King, this is a heck of a piece of work.

(And no, I am not from King's camp nor am I a friend of his. Just another anonymous music lover.)

"Welcome, welcome, one and all, to the greatest show you've never saw!"

And P.S. I downloaded his acoustic album "Raw" and the Matt King and the Cutters EP a couple days ago, and they sound pretty fantastic, too.

Matt King is so original. The stories the music tells is amazing and my son even enjoys the musical content.

Too much analysis on this page. Is this music entertaining? Yes. Great sound from an accomplished producer too. We saw Matt King opening at a show where we went to see someone else. We really liked the performance and bought the album. A lot is being written on this guy and we hope that this does well.

I had never heard of him till I saw a review in our local paper.... And am I glad I did, great cd with lots of emotion and feelings of hope, despair and real life drama. I hear something new on each listen. If your a fan of Robbie Robertson, Johnny Cash, and Trent Reznor you will enjoy this.

I think the reach of Mr. King's aspirations exceeded their grasp a bit, but this is still better than most of the alt-country scene (most of which eclipses the brightest stars in Nashville). The production here is overdone, so even if Matt's talent isn't smoke and mirrors (and I know it's not) it almost feels like it's smoke and mirrors.

I've only listened a few times, and I think this thing is going to grow on me. There are some singular lines in these lyrics that are worth the price of admission. "Smiling like a preacher at a rooster fight," is sinister and simple at the same time. Rube indeed.

Overall, I'd say buy it and it'll be a good addition to your music collection. It might not be your goto CD, but it'll get rotation.