Sometimes the singer-songwriter thing puts too much on the table. At SPB, we like a little bit of mystery, which ties into our newest featured stream, Ruby by william h. travis.
william h. travis may or may not be an individual -- the project from Bethlehem, PA describes itself as “a moniker for a person and a group of friends.” While it’s clearly the same voice and primary songwriter across this 9-song collection, it’s equally clear that many people contributed to the creative expression on this record.
I’ll call it scrappy, heart-on-sleeve folk-rock. There’s a DIY element that adds real authenticity to an album the band compares to a scrapbook -- a collection that commemorates the passage of time -- in the songwriters’ perspective, this album encapsulates the lifespan of Ruby the cat. The songs are inspired by shared relationships and growth, but they resonate beyond that one relationship to reflect a greater shared experience.
william h. travis is releasing several lyric videos over the next two months, leading up to an album release date of Nov. 21, followed by a release show at The Gap Theatre in Wind Gap, PA on Nov. 29.
Buy the record from Square Of Opposition.