Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The Muse is ever playful, yet when it looks in your eyes and suggests without a hint of irony that it wants to be Just Like You, the only thing you can do is thank the compliment intended and ask it why it would stoop so low in its valuation of itself.

The sensitivity of the Muse though is always humble and whilst it might have the appearance of a star it is always a gem, a precious stone of a glittering Ruby and in its heart it resonates a sound of pure quality.

For Ruby Muse and their new E.P., Just Like You, the feast of the Muse is precious, that she alone allows you to tuck in to three songs on offer is enough to get the mouth salivating and crumbling with delight at the thought, to be thought of that highly by the Muse is an honour and  not to be wasted as if chasing down the insubstantial rainbow, for the Muse is as solemn as the band suggest, the sound is cool and significant and throughout it all, it has nothing but good vibes that are unassuming but ferocious in their depth.

The three tracks that make up the E.P., Just Like You, Diamonds and Winter Hellebore are dripping in the eyes of the succulent and the possessed, that Jools and Malcolm Heyes can place layer upon layer of silver laced songs filled with the edge of the Americana and the gentle repose of love throughout is to be admired, the laid back and the earthy all sharing the same responsibility to the listener, one that is truly satisfying, gracious and one that is completely accessible, even to the first time listener.

When the Ruby Muse calls and tells you she wants to be Just Like You, take it as a compliment, for in her way, she is offering something that is steeped in equality, humility and style; it is the greatest compliment of all.

Ian D. Hall