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- Summary: Formally of the Flat Duo Jets, Dexter Romweber returns with his sister on drums on his latest album produced by John Plymale. Special guests include Neko Case, Cat Power, Exene Cervenka and Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids.
- Record Label: Bloodshot
- Genre(s): Rock
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 7
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Mixed: 3 out of 7
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Negative: 0 out of 7
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It's fevered outbursts like 'Lookout' and 'Grey Skies,' where Dex unleashes his slightly sloshed voice and surfabilly guitar, that have real soul-saving potential
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If this is a somewhat more sedate effort than the hot-wired Flat Duo Jets of yore, Ruins of Berlin shows Dexter Romweber's passion and gifts are as strong as ever, and the result is a compelling album from a one of a kind talent with plenty to offer.
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Under The RadarThe duets with Cat Power, Neko Case, and Exene Cervenka are understated, yet dynamic. [Winter 2009, p.78]
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The record’s oversized persona feels strange because these sounds don’t owe that much to the twang or crate-digging excavations that built Romweber’s reputation.
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Ruins of Berlin might not play at the Cabaret Voltaire, but damned if Romweber doesn’t have some fun following this new muse.
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Anyone familiar with the Flat Duo Jets will tell you that Dexter Romweber is a helluva guitarist (Jack White is a proud fan club member), yet our boy Dex has always been lacking in the vocal department. So his delivery on Ruins Of Berlin sometimes sounds more like a Buster Poindexter impression of Conway Twitty.
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Though his lyrics are underwhelming, his smart choice in collaborators and inventive instrumental cuts like 'Polish Work Song' and 'Grey Skies' more than compensate, making Ruins of Berlin both a testament to Romweber's ongoing influence and a compelling record in its own right.