2010 was a big mile stone for My Ruin, not only did they celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band but it also saw the band's 6th full-length release, Ghosts and Good Stories. After a long and storied career, it's great to find that the band haven't deviated too far from that trademark sound that won them such a faithful and vocal following.

In the studio, My Ruin are now a two piece, consisting of legendary female front-woman Tairrie B and her husband Mick Murphy. Tairrie's powerful voice is definitely one of the unique and memorable female voices of the last decade. For once you shouldn't dismiss the term "female vocalist" as meaning pretentious operatics, Mrs Murphy's vocal style is a lot more ballsy and gritty than some of male vocals out there. Ghosts and Good Stories has something for everyone; current My Ruin fans will not be disappointed, as this new set of songs shares the same vibe as their previous work and for those experiencing My Ruin for the first time, Ghosts brings the classic My Ruin sound with a renewed sense of purpose, a good starting point for any new listener.

Whilst some may say that Diggin' for Ghosts is a bit of a slow opener, it is quickly followed by the mighty Long Dark Night and then by highlight of the album Excommunicated. Throughout the entire album there's an artful mix of sludgey bass riffs, brutal drums and grungey guitars, with hints of southern rock coming in, particularly in the solos. All of the instruments were recorded solely by Mick Murphy, and his talent is self-evident as musically the arrangements are tight and well constructed throughout. Tairrie's vocals are as raw and powerful as ever and her lyrics are still as well thought out and impressive as we've come to expect. After a long and colourful career and despite a long history of problems with record labels, Tairrie and Mick's musical talents continue to drive the band and keep My Ruin original and exciting.



Album rating: 7/10
Best Tracks: Excommunicated, Money shot, Long Dark Night

My Ruin will be touring the UK between March 9th and 18th, find the dates here.
You can read a pre-tour Q&A here.