'Fight Softly' is the third album by New Zealand's pop masters The Ruby Suns. Ryan McPhun (their prime mover) has the kind of voracious musical mind that cites as equal influences '80s/'90s New Jack Swing and modern Angolan kuduro, Fleetwood Mac and Britney Spears, Brazilian tropicalia and Argentinean cumbia. He's the kind of diligent, meticulous soul that spends days hunched over a laptop in a tiny rented studio in Auckland, NZ just to perfect a sequenced drum track (mission accomplished). And Fight Softly is the kind of head-spinning combination of big-picture vision and sumptuous detail that only comes from an artist with an urgent need to express all the stuff he's seen. And you can dance to it!
California-born (and NZ citizen) McPhun took childhood trips to New Zealand and finally made Auckland home in 2003. Though he soon started playing with Kiwi indie darlings The Brunettes, he'd been making his own music for years—four-track bedroom stuff that mixed his faraway vocals with effects-laden guitar, synths, and all manner of field-recorded samples. With his own new band, Ryan McPhun and The Ruby Suns, McPhun recorded and released his first album for NZ label Lil' Chief Records. By the time its follow-up, Sea Lion, was ready, the foreshortened Ruby Suns had gained a college following in New Zealand and toured Australia with The Shins and the UK with Field Music, among others. The album came out on Sub Pop in early 2008 and landed on various best-of lists that year.
And for a few summer months The Ruby Suns landed in Seattle. There they played Sub Pop's not-so-humble 20th anniversary festival and began work on Fight Softly. "Mingus and Pike" is about their temporary Victorian abode and its happy-go-lucky pit bull mascot Mingus; “Cranberry” captures a day trip to Cranberry Lake, a dream of a swimming-hole 90 minutes from Seattle on Fidalgo Island. The former is beat-buzzed bedroom R&B swathed in reverb while the latter is part tequila-drunk marching band, part Eastern Bloc candy rave.
In the spring of '09, The Ruby Suns took a whirlwind tour of Europe that included 10 days at a friend's spread outside Szeged, Hungary. McPhun and friends Bevan Smith (Signer, Aspen, Skallander) and Matthew Mitchell (Skallander, Muriel Tsains) spent their time devouring veggie pizzas and jamming, improv-style, in an old farmhouse. These sessions didn't make it to Fight Softly as-is but were a springboard into new ideas McPhun brought back to his Auckland studio.
Like "Closet Astrologer," a song that started in Hungary and concluded, vaporous and Vangelis-like, in New Zealand. Or "How Kids Fail," a multi-movement epic that sounds like a post-techno hymn and nods to How Children Fail, John Holt's groundbreaking book on the general out-of-touch-ness of the public education system. "Haunted House" bounces on a pitch-shifted vocal sample and bubbly synth line,
simultaneously lush and minimal. "Cinco" and "Dusty Fruit" share a similar digital-tropical soul.
This is where Fight Softly veers from the path set by its predecessor. Thematically, it's not as wide-eyed or lighthearted, picking apart the relationships faced as we pass through the world—with our surroundings, each other, ourselves. Sonically, it remains as beat-centric, though these beats are deliciously artificial—stretched and compacted and distorted beyond recognition. Melodies are scuzzy and digital, not many guitars strummed or basses plucked. McPhun's soulful upper-register croon, swallowed into the mix, replaces group chants and full-throated singalongs. Rather than an album of clearly-drawn influences, Fight Softly is a unique, inscrutable synthesis, more itself than anything else.
Desert Of Pop
The Ruby Suns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We weren’t acquainted, the thought about it sounded fun
Flower among the weeds is what you are
Cold passive water in the desert of pop
Almost given up, couldn’t handle the pressure
But I heard your voice sing to me
You go and love me like you’re invincible
I’m always falling in love
Love every time that I dream about
Love, I can stand back
And it makes me wanna
Mmm makes me wanna cry cry cry
[Chorus]
Because whenever I’m in love
You know I just want you to say
That there’s nothing more
Than me in your life
Your head and cologne, it was so unreal
Tried to keep my cool, instead I drank too much
Like a birthday boy, getting excited
Then came your shopper that we executed
You’re a single malt, pure god of tequila
Anyone else would think I’m your cheerleader
But it’s all ended now, your rumple-sack is over
A cat chases its tail
I’m always falling in love
Love every time that I dream about
Love, I can stand back
And it makes me wanna
Mmm makes me wanna cry cry cry
I’m always falling in love
Love every time that I dream about
Love, I can stand back
And it makes me wanna
Mmm makes me wanna cry cry cry
[Chorus]
I’m always falling in love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
Love love love
You tell me I’m in love
As the weeks float by
The Ruby Suns's song “Desert of Pop” is a complex love song that delves into the emotional highs and lows of falling in love. The song consists of two verses and a chorus. The first verse describes the singer's desire to meet someone who is “number one”. The singer is intrigued by this person and wants to get to know them. The metaphor of a “flower among the weeds” shows that the singer sees this person as special and unique. The next line, “Cold passive water in the desert of pop” suggests that the person is elusive and hard to get close to. The desert setting emphasizes the challenge and struggle of trying to reach this person.
The second verse describes how the singer is struggling and feeling pressure in life, but the sound of the person's voice lifts them up. The lyrics “You go and love me like you’re invincible, you’re hypnotizing me,” describes the enchanting nature of the person the singer has fallen for. They are completely besotted and drawn in by their charm. The chorus is an expression of the singer's desire for the person to acknowledge their love, to tell them that they are the most important person in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was 25 I heard you’re number one
At the age of 25, I was informed that you were the most impressive person in your field.
We weren’t acquainted, the thought about it sounded fun
We didn't know each other yet, but the idea of getting to know you was exciting.
Flower among the weeds is what you are
You stand out beautifully among the ordinary and unremarkable.
Cold passive water in the desert of pop
You possess a calming and placid quality that is rare in a field that is often oversaturated and chaotic.
Almost given up, couldn’t handle the pressure
I was on the verge of surrendering because the situation was too difficult to endure.
But I heard your voice sing to me
However, by hearing your voice perform, I found the encouragement to continue.
You go and love me like you’re invincible
Your love for me seems to be limitless and unstoppable.
You’re hypnotizing me
Your charm and appeal intoxicate me with a powerful yet subtle effect.
I’m always falling in love
I frequently and effortlessly become smitten with others, especially when dreaming.
Love every time that I dream about
Every time I dream, I am filled with a deep, emotional connection to someone.
Love, I can stand back
Although I experience strong love, I can recognize it from a distance.
And it makes me wanna
It provokes me to feel a strong urge.
Mmm makes me wanna cry cry cry
It brings out such intense emotions that I want to cry.
[Chorus]
Refrain from the song.
Because whenever I’m in love
Since I always fall in love easily,
You know I just want you to say
I yearn for you to express your love and commitment towards me.
That there’s nothing more
That there is nothing or no one who could be more important to you than me.
Than me in your life
Than having me be a steady presence in your life.
Your head and cologne, it was so unreal
Your appearance and scent were so unbelievable.
Tried to keep my cool, instead I drank too much
I attempted to remain composed, but ended up excessively imbibing.
Like a birthday boy, getting excited
I was gleefully thrilled, like a child celebrating their birthday.
Then came your shopper that we executed
Then, your personal assistant with whom we worked with arrived.
You’re a single malt, pure god of tequila
Your taste and quality is as exceptional and divine as a single malt and tequila.
Anyone else would think I’m your cheerleader
Others would assume that I'm an enthusiastic fan of yours.
But it’s all ended now, your rumple-sack is over
However, it's all over now, and your carefree and boisterous attitude has come to an end.
A cat chases its tail
It's a futile attempt to achieve something that can never be caught or achieved.
As the weeks float by
As time passes slowly and calmly.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Holy Aura
The Ruby Suns are the best indie/pop group imo. I fucking love this song. Shades of the early 90's
Chinese Virus
whatever this shit is awesome, it takes a person with a mature taste to like this music, its above the rest. and most bands like this are almost always underrated. too bad people give all the credit to the BS they play on the radio. I got my local radio station to start playing the ruby suns, now they play it ever since.
Serge Zerkalo
I do totally agree, mate
Holy Aura
Sea lion was definitely the Ruby Suns best album. I just finished that project yesterday
#GoldMaterial
Otto
HOLY SHIT, i got this album for a dollar at a used book store, this is some good shit???
KugSystems
crazy love, the song
Moon Kim
although i don't know the message of this video, it's awesome!! i like it
Jozhua Rixz
Love You....really this song is the best ¡
TheCliffPhilShow
Shades of the 80's...but nice.:)
TheCliffPhilShow
@Pete Axe Yup. 80's were the metal years.:)