RUTH IS STRANGER THAN RICHARD

Ruth is Stranger Than Richard is the third full-length studio album by British experimental rock artist Robert Wyatt. Having been paralyzed from the waist down due to a fall from a fourth floor window Robert Wyatt partially wrote and arranged ( he had written a great portion of the album before the accident) the deeply emotional and beautifully dark second solo album Rock Bottom (1974) during his recovery from the accident. Rock Bottom is a great achivement and a personal favorite album of mine and therefore the follow up album Ruth is Stranger Than Richard had all opportunities of possible failure. As it turns out Ruth is Stranger Than Richard doesn´t reach the heights of Rock Bottom, but it´s a very good album.

The album is divided in two parts. Side one of the original LP is called side Richard and side two of the original LP is called side Ruth. I much prefer side one as the atmosphere is darkest in the songs on this part of the album. The music is not easy to describe but experimental rock with jazzy elements ( lots of brass) might give you a clue. Robert Wyatt´s distinct and personal vocal style is great IMO but his use of his voice is probably an aquired taste.

The musicianship is excellent. In addition to Robert Wyatt´s considerable talents he has guests like Brian Eno, Fred Frith and John Greaves performing on the album.

The production is great. It suits the music well.

Ruth is Stranger Than Richard is a good album by Robert Wyatt and after I´ve come to the realization that Rock Bottom is an impossible album to follow up with something equally as brilliant, I´ve really come to enjoy Ruth is Stranger Than Richard a lot more. i still think the first part of the album is better than the second part though and it does drag my rating down to 3 stars. There are parts of the album that deserves 4 stars though.