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Ontario’s three-piece Born Ruffians
makes driving, melodic and stripped down pop, folksy
and repetitive like older Modest Mouse, with energized,
driving jangle that recalls many a Smiths number.
Bassist Mitch DeRosier keeps
every note popping and bounding along the scales
and Steve Hamelin beats the drums with discernable
vigor, while vocalist Luke LaLonde
frantically spit out his vocals in a fervent pitch
like the more spastic moments of Talking Heads
frontman David Byrne.
With just three songs to go by on the Hummingbird
EP, it’s difficult to say what’s to
be expected from the eminent full-length, but
these three tracks maintain a consistency that
is convincing at least. “Hummingbird”
over-does it a bit on the spazzy, cheeseball vocal
noise-making end end, but makes up for this with
a pulsating, writhing instrumentation. “Vonnegut”
is a bit more straight-forward, with pleasing
vocals but maintaining the same instrumental energy.
“Knife” rounds out the sampling with
a slower pace, with an elongated, operatic/southern
gospel-ish ballad.
Rather unknown, Born Ruffians have sold nearly
13,000 copies of their 2006 self-titled debut;
and this sampling of the sophomore effort is pretty
cool. If the LP to follow will keeps the same
pace and quality, this refreshingly not tearfully
twee indie trio has a lot to look forward to.
bornruffians.com
warprecords.com
Jef Hoskins, December 12, 2007
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