Dexter Romweber has been making music since
Flat Duo Jets called it a day in 1998, but not much of it has been making it onto record, and
Ruins of Berlin, credited to
the Dex Romweber Duo (with his sister Sara Romweber, formerly of
Let's Active, on drums) is only his third album to appear in the ten-plus years since his old band rode off into the sunset. Anyone who wonders if
Romweber has lost his touch during his layoff (or in the five years since his last album, 2004's
Blues That Defy My Soul) will be happy to know that
Ruins of Berlin confirms he's still a guitarist, songwriter, and singer to reckon with. However, this isn't the
Flat Duo Jets, even if the simple instrumentation and frequent nods to the musical past are familiar stuff; while the
FDJ's at their best were a ball of frantic energy,
Ruins of Berlin is the sound of a more measured and contemplative
Dexter Romweber. There's little in the way of amped-up rockabilly here (though the opener, "Lookout," finds
Romweber trading some speedy licks with Rick Miller of
Southern Culture on the Skids), and atmospheric midtempo numbers like "Lover's Gold," "Camilla's Gone (Let It Snow)," and "People" (no, not the
Barbra Streisand oldie) are more consistent with the album's mood. But anyone who ever spent much time listening to
the Flat Duo Jets knows
Romweber's taste for classic jazz and pop tunes has always informed his music, and on
Ruins of Berlin, he's just allowed them to take a larger place in the picture, alongside the faux-Eastern European folk of "Polish Work Song," the fractured guitar workout of "Grey Skies," and the jaunty travelogue of the title tune.
Romweber also gets some well-deserved payback from longtime fans
Neko Case, Chan Marshall, and
Exene Cervenka, all of whom contribute lovely guest vocals to this set, and if you're afraid this might be a rock & roll-free set, "Picture" and "Cigarette Party" both generate enough heat to make fans happy. 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. ~ Mark Deming