Ruby Force, the musical brainchild of Erin McLaughlin, captures her personal journey of self-discovery... marked by a maturity and ease in tone, lyrics that elicit confidence in the midst of questions, and a flirty playfulness that will melt anyone's heart. All this - with an invitation to listen and engage in her twisted tales of life and love, lost and gained...

Evolutionary War is Ruby Force's debut ten-song (43 min, 29 sec) record. It transports a listener through McLaughlin’s own experiences – from her upbringing in the yellow-hued fields of the Southwest, through the dank, fluoresced streets of urban metropolises, and across a myriad of international seas.

It's a pretty well polished debut album and it's hard not to love Evolutionary War. Putting aside Ruby Force's forceful vocals (which are easily the album's strongest feature) the tunes also lodge in your skull. Part Country, part Rock, there's little here not to like.

It's also a master class in how to order the tracks on an album as it opens and closes with, in my opinion, the two strongest tracks: starting well and leaving you wanting more.

8

Nick Smithson