Born Ruffians - Say It

If there’s one thing that defines this particular Canadian trio’s sound, it’s the voice of their singer, Luke LaLonde. It’s the kind of voice that splits the room in a heartbeat. Some would run a mile from his affected tones; others find it to carry just the right amount of quirkiness - and then find that it suits the music Born Ruffians play, not to mention their image, very well indeed.

The band have always been about fun. Fun and immediacy, in fact. Their 2008 debut ‘Red, Yellow and Blue’ was energy itself, showcasing the band’s restless aesthetic excellently. Oh, and of course, it kind of helped that two of the best songs of that year were on there, in the forms of ‘Hummingbird’ and ‘Foxes Mate For Life’. Upon initial listens it seems that there is nothing anywhere near as immediate contained on sophomore album ‘Say It’. However, while the band are less in-your-face than before, it doesn’t mean they’ve lost the knack for a good hook. They’re all over the album, albeit some are less obvious than others.

You might also be pleased to hear that LaLonde has toned down his yelping quite a bit. His vocals definitely fall under the ‘acquired taste’ category, and there were times on ‘Red, Yellow and Blue’ when they very nearly became too much to handle. No such thing going on here, though. Behind all the quirks and mannerisms he has a perfectly decent voice, as evinced by lead single ‘What To Say’, which finds the trio in more restrained mood but is just as effective as any of their other material.

The song concerns the ‘lost art of conversation’ (as a certain Neil Hannon would have it), and it seems this is the album’s central theme: saying things right. The album title itself was inspired by a related incident; whilst touring the debut, the group had quite the argument: ‘We toured too much I think. A lot of stress within our band built up and got blown out of proportion,’ LaLonde admitted. So now they’ve vowed to never let things go unsaid ever again.

The album’s moniker becomes doubly appropriate when it starts to reveal itself to the listener. There is real depth here, and quite a lot to enjoy, from the bouncy rhythms of opener ‘Oh Man’ to the percussion-driven ‘Ballad of Moose Bruce’. Born Ruffians have never been a ‘something for everyone’ kind of band, but it’s clear to see that they’re broadening their horizons now. They do indeed have something to say - and it’s imperative that we start paying attention, because these fun-loving Canucks have done it again.