Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to explore Ruby Sparks. This is the project of LA-based songwriter Jake Sternberg. Although I’m fairly new to listening to the band, I’ve been impressed from the start, and I’ve been eager to write a review and share their music with a larger audience here on SWT.
Originally from Bethlehem, PA, Sternberg has been crafting indie-pop music that challenges conventional eras—for instance, blending ’60s rock pop with 2000s and/or 2010s indie-pop to create an excellent listening experience. And blending 1970s LA radio rock with modern indie rock, alternative folk, and synth-pop. His first release as Ruby Sparks was In Your Head EP (2020), followed by California Honey EP (2022). And now Ruby Sparks is ready for their full-length album debut. Iris is out on Wednesday, November 5th, for your listening pleasure.
The press release tells us a bit more about the album itself, stating, “Iris as a whole is a journey of self-acceptance and serves as a coming-of-age for Sternberg, informed by his ongoing practice of therapy and his reflections on when he was a younger man. As he said in an interview with his licensing agency, Marmoset, “This record started with the question, ‘how do I be happy?’ and through making it, I think I found my answer, or at least part of it. That’s the beauty of art.” More specifically, his answer is finding power in vulnerability and finding freedom through facing unpleasant feelings.”
From the album’s press release, “Jake Sternberg’s debut album Iris is the product of years of songwriting and therapy, and it’s a reflection of his life lessons from his 20s. Mixed by Phil Joly (The Strokes, Lana Del Rey, Daft Punk) and mastered by Dave Cooley (Tame Impala, Spoon, M83), Iris blends both the best of 60s rock-pop with 2010s indie-pop.” and that “The record as a whole hinges on healthy reframing, where Sternberg learned how to focus more on what is in his realm of control. He said of how the record begins both musically and thematically on the opener (“Love’s All We Have”), ‘It’s imperative to start with myself, because it’s almost impossible to make lasting societal change when it’s hard for me to look in a mirror and love the person that I’m seeing in the reflection.'”
Giving credit where it’s due. Iris album credits:
- All songs written by Jake Sternberg
- Produced by Collin Desha
- Mixed by Phil Joly
- Mastered by Dave Cooley
- Album artwork by Roscoe Hall
- RS Logo by Tapley Eaton
And now for some hype for your ears and eyes via some well-crafted videos from Ruby Sparks’ YouTube channel:
Some beautiful Valentine’s Day cards within the video for the album opening song, “Love’s All We Have”:
(All credits and rights to Ruby Sparks)
The puzzle pieces come together within the lyric visualizer for the song, “Nowhere Man”:
(All credits and rights to Ruby Sparks)
The official lyric visualizer featuring old magazine ads within the video for the song, “Dreams”:
(All credits and rights to Ruby Sparks)
The official lyric visualizer again. This time for the song, “Pleasure”:
(All credits and rights to Ruby Sparks)
Iris marks a significant step forward in the evolution of songwriting and songcrafting for Ruby Sparks. While the EPs In Your Head and California Honey were solid releases featuring good songs, Iris arrives is a fully fledged statement from the opening notes to the closing ones. All of the songs are excellent, with lyrics that come from a perspective of having undergone therapy and being not only mindful and self-aware but also reflective of one’s past, putting those ideas into positive practice. It’s a mature, thoughtful, ultimately enjoyable listening experience that doesn’t overtly preach or rub one the wrong way. I guarantee that you’ll dig it. For instance, “Nowhere Man” explores the utterly masculine and unhealthy practice of bottling up emotions atop a groove-worthy pop melody. The majority of songs on Iris perfectly blend darker, reflective lyrics with more summery melodies, gorgeous harmonies, lead vocals, catchy guitar hooks, and basslines, which yield beautiful results for the listener. There’s a lot of inner peace and thus confidence in Iris.
Looking back, to the opener, “Love’s All We Have,” features some great percussion and a melody that jaunts forward while experiencing a few melodic shifts. All of which work. The song also incorporates several gorgeous harmonies within the chorus, as well as Sternberg’s own vocals, which stand firm throughout the song. The song, “Dreams,” is present in the now, but also confidently warns other divisions of time (past, future) with the perspective of knowledge. Great harmonies and vocals once again. “Pleasure” features lyrics that define Sternberg’s current and future vision of personal happiness, rooted in the realization of the past, and it’s wonderfully done.
I loved the jangly and twangy guitar on “The River” as the melody meanders, much like a river. Truly. Close your eyes while listening, you’ll have the same experience. “Here With You” is a lovely song about romance and feelings in the best ways, and its melody is the most shimmery on the album. The sounds of acoustic guitar strumming within the album’s closing and titular song, “Iris,” are stunning. A slower departure from the previous song, and well, all songs on the album. This quieter instrumentation allows Sternberg’s lead vocals and the harmonies to shine a bit more than they already do on other songs.
Iris gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops relative to all new music releases in 2025, from me. It’s Ruby Sparks’ best work yet, without a doubt. And it’s a damn good listening experience from the first time you listen. Each time you listen through, you’ll enjoy, appreciate, and be grateful a bit more. Add it to your collection.
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with Iris will take half an hour from start to finish. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, I found the songs highlighted in bold font below to be my favorite songs on this album.
The tracklisting for Iris (song length)
- Love’s All We Have (4:55)
- Nowhere Man (3:07)
- To Find You (3:23)
- Dreams (3:13)
- Pleasure (3:53)
- The River (4:13)
- Here With You (4:25)
- Iris (2:53)
Total runtime: 30:02
Find out more about Ruby Sparks via their Linktree, Facebook, and listen to more music at their Bandcamp, Apple Music page, YouTube, and Spotify.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
