What To Say...

Born Ruffians will never, ever, ever go out of fashion. Their isolated guitar playing and musicianship was never overly in vogue in the first place and that suits me and I’m sure the Born Ruffians just fine. Much the same as Yves Klein Blue, I never struggle to enjoy every release. Following up the highly successful Red, Yellow and Blue is the fragmented all over the place-ness of Say It.

There is something so genius yet so amateur about Born Ruffians. Truth be told I’m not particularly sure anyone has told singer/guitarist Luke Lalonde that if the corrupt world had its way, crackled singing and uncomplicated complexities found in his guitar work probably weren’t meant to be played outside of his bedroom. But God I’m glad he didn’t listen; a pure delight and a true raconteur vocally with a very uplifting quality can be found in his guitar arpeggios. His vocals are so deceptive and I love how he makes it sound like anyone could be an awesome front man and do what he does when in actual fact his seemingly unrefined, fractured scratch is an immensely refined gift.

I’ll Take “Retard Canard” and “What To Say” to illustrate my point, In “Retard Canard” you have a song that could be some high school bands hit track that they spent weeks perfecting in a garage but by time you get to “What To Say” any thought of clever assembly is dispelled and you realise Born Ruffians are as intelligent and calculating as any Vampire Weekend track but without the perfume of self-importance.



I've also chosen the track "Sole Brother" as the one for you all to listen to as the guitar is reminiscent of whitest boy alive, a personal favourite of mine and when combined with Lalonde's vocal it gives you a glimpse of whitest boy alive with a more unhinged front man, I love it.