Ruby Red (Dambuilders album)

The album was produced by Don Gehman.[8][9] Its lyrics are by the singer and bass player Dave Derby; all four band members wrote the music.[10] Gehman encouraged the band to think more about its vocal harmonies, and the intertwining of Derby's and Joan Wasser's voices.[11]

Trouser Press wrote that "there are some good songs, and Derby does some nice things vocally—his falsetto on 'Down' would give Radiohead’s Thom Yorke a run for his money —but it’s a letdown from a band that has rarely disappointed in the past."[8] SF Weekly thought that "Derby's lyrics alternately capture the urge to move (down the highway, into the stratosphere) and the realization that you're often literally or figuratively stuck in one space."[12] The Nashville Scene deemed the album full of "bombastic would-be anthems and strained power ballads."[13]

CMJ New Music Monthly called it "a crystal-clear confection of hooky, muscular guitar riffs and occasional flights of fiddle."[14] The Boston Globe opined that the band "has shifted away from dissonance (good move) while retaining the punk, punch and power."[15] The Wisconsin State Journal stated that the songs "coolly incorporate violins and creative guitar work to create a uniquely creepy, undeniably compelling rock sound."[16]

AllMusic called the album "a raw, unpretentious indie masterpiece that seems to have had few champions."[2]

• Dave Derby - vocals, bass
• Joan Wasser - violin
• Kevin March - drums
• Eric Masunaga - guitar