The Chris Ruben Band – Won’t See You (2021)
The end of a relationship can be hard for a lot of people and moving on may seem impossible. The Chris Ruben Band are connecting with this feeling through the emotive and pained sounds of ‘Won’t See You’. Packed with a dream of being together again, the single faces the cold light of day and the painful reality of never seeing someone you loved again.
Led by Chris Ruben (guitar, vocals), the band consists of Nick Marino (guitar), Brendan Allen (bass), Russ Benjamin (drums), Frank Iovine (keys, saxophone) and Eugene Iovine (keys). Together, they bring the up-front energy of the band and their shared experiences to our ears. With reflective vocals and infectious melodies, the band has you pushing through whatever life has to throw at you with a spring in your step.
‘Won’t See You’ strums into your ears with a rather reflective vibe. The gentle tones of the music have you floating on the melody as you breathe easily. This gentleness lulls you into a false sense of the single which comes to an end with the blast of instrumentation. The rise in the melody leaves the gentle contemplations in the past and fills your sense with the jangle of rock goodness. There is a river of sound created by the band that has you moving endlessly forward. Each instrument adds its own voice to the music while coming together for a beautiful choir of sound.
Ruben’s vocals match the swinging movement of the melody. When he enters, his voice is contemplative, sombre and somewhat sad. He picks up a sense of despair and listlessness that many people feel after a breakup. While his vocal delivery changes with the blast of the melody, the lyrics continue to dive into heartbreak and the despairing emotions introduced in the opening. While there is a heavy feeling that you will never overcome the negative emotions you are currently feeling, there is a strange undertone that lets you know things will be okay. There is so much passion in Ruben’s vocals that you can easily feel the same pain in your own heart.
The Chris Ruben Band has you stewing in heartbreak and feeling the pain of missing a loved one in ‘Won’t See You’. As the melody moves from gentle reflections to a blast of jangling rock, Ruben’s vocals put your heart through the wringer. His passionate performance reaches into your chest and squeezes ensuring that you feel the pain and loss of the lyrics.
Find out more about The Chris Ruben Band on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
