On Oct. 24, I wrote up a piece about them crowd funding their latest album “Mortal Ghost”. Rusty Shipp did it! They succeeded, and now, “Mortal Ghost” is here for us to enjoy. It was worth the wait.
The first time Rusty Shipp graced Jealous Sounds was July of last year, when I reviewed their last EP “Hold Fast To Hope” . For the sake of brevity, I’m quoting myself here:
“First the facts: The guys came from all parts of the country to Nashville, found each other (Russ found Andrew on Craig’s list), and formed Rusty Shipp in 2014. The band consists of Russ T. Shipp (honestly his real name!) on lead guitar/ vocals, Andrew Royer on drums, and Dustin Herres on bass. The band has an eclectic range of influences, from 60’s-90’s rock, Hardcore Metal to surf rock. Their first EP, Hold Fast To Hope, was released in 2014 on Valinor Records. In 2016 they released the single-song, self-titled Sinking Scarabs, also on Valinor.” The lineup for the new album consists of Russ T. Shipp (Vocals/Guitar), AJ Newton (drums), and Jake Adams (bass).
On “Mortal Ghost”, there’s a new sense of energy. You can hear the multitude of influences, from the raw punk speed of “Caligynephobia” to the slower but no less mellow “Tip of My Tongue”. Love isn’t left out, with a dark and longer “Hotel Bible”, and the sentimental (and slightly delightfully creepy) “The Lighthouse”. “Sea Sentinels” dives into heavier waters, calling to mind early Led Zepplin. “Song of Storms” though short, has a ethereal quality, like the calm after a heavy rain. “Devil Jonah” was a great decision for the first single, since it’s the perfect marriage of the band’s skilled musicianship and unique songwriting. I love the Beatles remake of “Helter Skelter”, with Rusty and Co’s signature reverb and power rhythms, making it their own. The band has kept the nautical themes so prevalent in their earlier work, with a deeper, more polished sound. Rusty Shipp continue to grow, and by all rights this should be their breakout to the mainstream.
Right now, the band is gearing up for future tour dates. “Mortal Ghost” is available now on all streaming and online music sites.
The main Rusty Shipp website
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