Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review



Ruth
Secondhand Dreaming



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 12 tracks: 46 minutes, 30 seconds
Street Date: June 26, 2007


Ah, refreshment. The name could be an acronym for "Return Us To Him." It could also just be the frontman's last name. Either way, this could be the sleeper hit of the summer. From Vancouver, WA comes Dustin Ruth - no longer a solo artist, and no longer struggling to fit his vocal style into musical flavors it wasn't meant for. Since his 2004 indie release Inside Out, Dustin's been hard at work, gaining some musical comrades, re-branding himself, and otherwise refining his sound. Does it pay off?

This album is a slow-burn, taking a few listens to really get into it. You might not think that's what you're in for when "One Foot In-One Foot Out's" opening drum roll sounds off like the starting gun at a race. But just wait. The three leading pop/rock tracks, including the first single "Cross the Line," are well-composed, speaking to the adventure of stepping out in faith, bleeding into the title track before settling into the folk/country worship chorus in "Here to New York." The momentum drops out after, giving time to the less declarative and more introspective - only to be interrupted by the indie anthem "Standing Still" before returning to balladry. By the end of the record, you'll wonder what happened to most of the second half, because you've tuned it out. Go back and listen to those similar tone and tempo songs again. They have a charm all their own. Musically, Ruth is Ryan Adams meets Jacks Mannequin, with a very healthy dose of 90's rock like Third Eye Blind and the Wallflowers thrown in.

Lyrically, Ruth is worship and story, and is surprisingly accessible. Dustin writes from a place of redemption. He's been through the sex, drugs, and rock n' roll… and Jesus has brought him out of it. He is writing from that place of rescue. His music is peppered with a lot of declarations of trust and a desire to just go ahead and follow after God wholeheartedly. Ruth says that many of his songs could be interpreted just as love songs, which may be true for tracks like "Crossing the Line," but then again, you can't hear "You are the waves that I feel when I'm sinking / You are the storms that I feel when I'm dying / You are God / I know / You are God" in the later 'You Are' and call Ruth lyrically ambiguous.

After giving your musical palette a chance to be cleansed of the over-produced, constructed-for-radio tripe, give Ruth some time to sink in - you'll be glad you did. This is a debut album, so typically there will be times it feels like Ruth is still trying to find their ground, but not many. There's some honesty here that isn't scripted, a source material these songs are written from that resonates with everyone… it's called 'a broken life - saved'.

- Review date: 6/25/07, written by David Goodman



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 


. Record Label: Tooth & Nail Records
. Album length: 12 tracks: 46 minutes, 30 seconds
. Street Date: June 26, 2007
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. One Foot In, One Foot Out
  2. Cross This Line
  3. Secondhand Dreaming
  4. Here to New York
  5. Mr. Turner
  6. Work It Out
  7. Standing Still
  8. Figure You Out
  9. You Are
  10. Love Me Like You Do
  11. Always Yours
  12. Well With Soul
spacer Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images