Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Communication, it can either break down, be misinformed like a game of Chinese Whispers, so much so that it tears minds and friendships apart, or it can restore faith, it can bleed truth, it can be awkward. It can be devastating in its silence and it can be beautiful, something that will make your heart stop and make you sit in the shade of quiet for a while; it is Communication that makes us human and it is the simplicity of it that brings out the finest belief in us all.
For Cal Ruddy it has been a journey, one that is perhaps only documented here and there in certain fan’s mind, the appreciative supporters of his music, the odd and distinctive voice in the shadows that revel in his voice and the texture of his performances in the live arena; a journey it has been but the first stop along the way, the signpost that urges him on, is one that quite simply might be amongst the very finest of E.P.s.
Communication is everything; it forms the back drop to whatever message you are trying to get across. In some they just about get it over in Morse Code, the conscious decipher working overtime to get the coded words down properly, some speak clearly and concisely, they are abundant in their skill of definition and praise, however they are lost because people don’t listen, they prefer the Chinese whispers because it suits them and their pre-conceived prejudices. For Cal Ruddy each song is a totem, a full diagram supplied with simple truth and wonder, the heart strains and if you are fortunate, if you have really taken it under your wing, a tear of remorse and solitude, of joy and expression, will appear and it will be the best feeling you will have had.
The five strong E.P. consists of music that will break your heart and put a smile on your face, the delicate balancing act of melancholic desire fulfilled. Supported by the tremendous talents of Roo Walker, Simon Goulding, Justin Johnson, Chris Taylor, Dominique Daly and Marietta Daly, the songs are blinding, they hark back to a day when life was much simpler and interesting yet at the same time being captivating in their modern outlook. Whether in the song Maria, Lovers & Cigarettes, Breaking Your Little Heart, Sweet Little Valentine or Little Town Anywhere, Cal Ruddy opens up a canvas that is illuminating, a little daunting and one that reminds the ears of the initial songs of Paul Simon but played with a determined smile so wide it could bridge the gap between Liverpool and Europe without having to worry about the bit in between.
Cal Ruddy is a class act; one that Time can only ever insist is treated with respect and youthful esteem.
Ian D. Hall