Top tracks
Listeners also bought
Other Roots Rock albums
Other Power-folk albums
Put your hands on the remote! browse music »
Skeleton Key by Jay Ruffin
view larger image
fave it Roots Rock | Power-folk
11 tracks | 36 minutes
Released Apr 2005
on Ringo Records
Click 
for a 30-second preview. All tracks are 192kbps high fidelity sound quality. Protected WMA $0.77 or unprotected MP3 $0.88.
listen album 30sec. shuffle buy CD review album promote album
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:42 No Big Deal lyrics BUY MP3 03:42 No Big Deal lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:42 No Big Deal
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:42 Run Virginia Run lyrics BUY MP3 02:42 Run Virginia Run lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:42 Run Virginia Run
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:22 The Lucky One lyrics BUY MP3 03:22 The Lucky One lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:22 The Lucky One
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:14 Bigger Stones lyrics BUY MP3 02:14 Bigger Stones lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:14 Bigger Stones
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:31 Dirty Little Town (Too Late For Prayer) lyrics BUY MP3 03:31 Dirty Little Town (Too Late For Prayer) lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:31 Dirty Little Town (Too Late For Prayer)
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:26 Never Be The Same lyrics BUY MP3 02:26 Never Be The Same lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:26 Never Be The Same
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:47 Don't Let Me Down Too Hard lyrics BUY MP3 03:47 Don't Let Me Down Too Hard lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:47 Don't Let Me Down Too Hard
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:39 Good Girl lyrics BUY MP3 03:39 Good Girl lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:39 Good Girl
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:31 Common Ground lyrics BUY MP3 03:31 Common Ground lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:31 Common Ground
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:22 Before All Hope Is Gone lyrics BUY MP3 03:22 Before All Hope Is Gone lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:22 Before All Hope Is Gone
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:38 Skeleton Key lyrics BUY MP3 04:38 Skeleton Key lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:38 Skeleton Key
This ain't folk music, and it ain't country either. This is as rockin' as the Ramones, as thought-provoking as Steve Earle and as jangley as the Continental Drifters, without compromising Ruffin's own style or falling into pastiche.
Editorial review
Part of the long thread of artists who mix country and power pop in equal doses (think Continental Drifters, Minus Five, Walter Clevenger, Ray Mason, the Morells and Nick Lowe, for starters), Mississippi-born and bred singer/songwriter Jay Ruffin is an Americana natural. His debut album Skeleton Key twangs and pops in roughly equal doses, filled with rollicking songs about the usual topics, just about all of which involve women in the starring roles. "Bigger Stones" (which makes excellent use of the classic "Needles and Pins" / "So Sad About Us" jangly guitar riff) is the immediate standout, but Ruffin is such an unpretentiously earnest singer and canny songwriter, with an appealing Everyman voice and a way with catchy guitar riffs, that all of Skeleton Key is a low-key, rootsy delight. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
Bio / Background
RINGO RECORDS is proud to present the debut of JAY RUFFIN. Born and raised in the Mississippi delta, Ruffin has received critical acclaim for his contributions on Nancy Apple's Outside the Lines and Shoulda Lied About That - staging him to step into the spotlight with SKELETON KEY.
On this release, Ruffin's talents as a front man and songwriter are showcased, but don't toss this southern boy in the back of the truck with the current crop of singer/songwriters - this ain't folk music, and it ain't country either. Skeleton Key cracks open new horizons for Ruffin. Experimenting with tones, instruments and players, the result is as rockin' as the Ramones, as thought-provoking as Steve Earle and as jangley as the Continental Drifters, without compromising Ruffin's own style or falling into pastiche.
Having shared the stage together for 10 years, Ruffin co-
produced Skeleton Key with the help of longtime friend, next door neighbor and label owner NANCY APPLE - who also contributed vocals.
↓ more ↓