FANSUPPORTED
Regular donors help Fox grow, develop new work
Ruby Rose Fox made a tremendous album in 2016's “Domestic.” On the disc, Fox winked at familiar sounds — a Velvet Underground LP in which she played both Lou Reed and Nico, Patti Smith's genius run through the production of Brian Eno and then Jerry Wexler. But her freshness, ferocity and artistic ingenuity made “Domestic” thoroughly modern.
The Boston singer-songwriter built “Domestic” from a successful crowdfunding campaign, which itself was built out of fans won at a string of sold-out local shows. But a devoted cult and awesome music weren't enough to propel Fox into the national scene.
“I can't compete with pop stars; I don't have the funds to do that, and I don't hear myself on commercial radio,” Fox said ahead of a pair of shows at the Lizard Lounge Friday and Saturday. “But what I have been excited about is seeing people will support me as I grow. I have about hundred supporters who give me $5 to $20 a month.”
It works like a monthly NPR donation, except instead of getting a tote bag, Ruby Rose Fox subscribers get exclusive updates, videos, songs and more.
Fox arrived on the scene in 2012, just in time to see streaming services devalue music and the major labels frantically fight over crumbs. She has been frustrated trying to figure out how to move forward. But she's never stopped moving forward.
Her new album, “Salt,” which she will play in its entirety at the Lizard and you can preorder at rubyrosefox.com, began to come together shortly after the election of Donald Trump. Already a few songs deep into her sophomore album, she abandoned them to write new, more political and personal material.
“(Co-producer) Dave (Brophy) and I had already finished 3 1⁄2 songs, but I needed to follow my instincts and start over,” Fox said. “I didn't need to add another pop record to the world. I needed to make something intimate, something that reacted to the time we are living in.”
While the music hasn't been mixed yet, early cuts of the tracks have Fox singing haunted melodies and indie punk soul songs about kids in Flint with lead poisoning and the sick, sad American patriarchy. She's packed the lyrics with biblical references and ugly headlines. She's recorded the songs using revolutional tech — binaural microphones often used for virtual reality that make it seem like Fox is singing, whispering and growling right behind your ear.
“The technology can get weird fast,” Fox said, laughing. “It can make the music very intimate. I choke on a can of Pepsi Cola in a song, and listening to it can be intense, like I'm right there with you.”
Armed with a growing and devoted cult, a set of new songs, some rage, genius and cutting edge tech, Fox will make another run at the national scene. Well, she will as soon as “Salt” is done.
“Dave thinks we're done. I don't,” she said. “We have nine songs recorded, and we are getting really close to mixing them. But I think we might need one or two more. I just think there is more there.”