Ruston Kelly Breaks Down New Album The Weakness Track by Track: Exclusive
Track by Track is a recurring feature series in which artists guide readers through every song on their latest release. Today, Ruston Kelly breaks down his new album, The Weakness.
Singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly has released his third album, The Weakness, via Rounder Records. Stream it via Apple Music or Spotify below.
The Weakness is an album filled with catharsis. After a period of loss and growth, Kelly emerged with an album of unreserved, hope-laced self-reflection. His candid songwriting reflects a sense of rediscovery and resilience laced with sharp humor. Anecdotes off the album include the time Kelly accidentally got high off of CBD and wrote a song about Michael Keaton, appropriately titled “Michael Keaton.”
The track “Let Only Love Remain” reflects on the aftermath of Kelly’s divorce. “I wanted whatever it was that I said about my divorce to be something I would find honor in 20 years from now. I wanted to try and speak from my better self, not get lost in anything small,” Kelly tells Consequence. “The largest sentiment I could think of was an unending love for someone while simultaneously allowing that love to fade into the background of my new life.”
The 12-track Americana album is largely acoustic-driven with alternative sensibilities shining through in the rugged guitar and vocal performance. Layered over clean percussion, Kelly’s hearty voice commands each track with grace.
Listen to The Weakness and read about Kelly’s inspirations for each track below.
Up next, Kelly will embark on a tour throughout the United States this spring. During the summer, Kelly will tour with Noah Kahan throughout North America. Grab tickets to both legs via StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
