Like an angel drifting through cities, Holly Ruth and the Grey Jays new album, Birds, soars through deeply emotional, pure and quirky dimensions on earth. This album is like a trip through time with the essence of greats like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Jefferson Airplane and The Beatles, but with a classical twist. 

Holly is a gifted piano player, but in her humble nature, she only shows enough to leave us wanting more. Sprinkled throughout the album are stunningly beautiful keyboard lines which lend themselves in perfect harmony to the outro, a Brahms intermezzo, which she plays with stunning effortlessness. 

The band adds an incredible depth to each tune, rising and falling, swelling and contracting in exactly the way we all want it to. These songs are timeless, they are heartfelt and natural. Holly is harnessing the classic folk rock sound of the 60’s and 70’s with ease, as if that is where her soul still lies. 

Her darling voice is the cherry on top of an ageless sound and well written songs. She sings with genuine sentiment yet dances around with a silliness that will grow everyone’s love for her. You can feel her heart in this album, and it is such a beautiful, gentle and honest package that anyone would connect with. 

Listen to this album. If you have a soul you might tear up the first time, then play it again, and again. 

- Selci

Published in Volume 70, Number 7 of The Uniter (October 22, 2015)