Transmissions :: Rich Ruth

Welcome back to Transmissions, our weekly conversational offering. On today's show? Nashville’s own Rich Ruth. Opening his review of Ruth’s latest, the Third Man Records LP Water Still Flows, Aquarium Drunkard’s Brent Sirota states: “We don’t even have a name for what has been going on in instrumental music lately. There’s plainly some kind of new fusion afoot…[but] it doesn’t really sound like old-school fusion. There’s electrified jazz there, to be sure, but now it sits alongside krautrock, kosmische, psychedelia, minimalism, and ambient.” Like many, Ruth began making meditative music during the pandemic, resulting in his tremendous 2022 record, I Survived, It’s Over. But with Water Still Flows, Ruth embraces grandiose riffs alongside his placid total soundscapes. The result is a record that feels heavy, while still possessing the calming center that defined earlier work. Sirota cites groups like Dirty Three and Godspeed! You Black Emperor, outfits given to transcendent abandon, and he’s right on the money. We caught up with Rich and discuss. Our conversation takes more than a few interesting turns—who ever thought we'd end up discussing Creed, and yet here we are—but one thing’s for sure: the freedom Rich Ruth and his collaborators exhibit is contagious—as is his charm. Aquarium Drunkard is supported by our subscribers. Head over and peruse our site, where you’ll find nearly 20 years of playlists, recommendations, reviews, interviews, podcasts, essays, and more. Subscribe at Aquarium Drunkard. Transmissions is a part of the Talkhouse Podcast Network. Visit the Talkhouse for more interviews, fascinating reads, and podcasts. This episode is brought to you by DistroKid. DistroKid makes music distribution fun and easy with unlimited uploads and artists keep 100% of their royalties and earnings. To learn more and get 30% off your first year's membership, visit: distrokid.com/vip/aquariumdrunkard