So I saw Born Ruffians open for Franz Ferdinand a couple of years ago. All I really remember about their set was that my friend and I were shaking our heads the entire time. Stuff like that seems to happen [a lot]. Turns out, 365 is a large number, especially when it comes to albums. I’m getting material from anywhere that I can manage. Haters gon hate.
So yeah, my 15-year-old self might have been a little harsh on that opening band. Red, Yellow & Blue is a pretty solid album.
I could just be lazy, and talk about how Born Ruffians are your average indie rock band, but I’m not going to do that. Sure, they seem like that upon first glance, with the standard guitar-singer-bass-drums-keyboard set up, but they do so much more with their music than most bands. They’ve got a unique sound, at least on what I’ve heard from them. Front man Luke LaLonde has both an awesome last name and voice. It’s not that he’s a particularly great singer, but it’s what he does with his pipes that really set this band apart. It’s almost like he uses his voice as an additional instrument, not afraid to add an echo or distortion effect every now and then.
I also found myself noticing how good the drumming was throughout the album. Anyone who listens to a ton of indie rock knows that this doesn’t happen too often. When the drumming sticks out, it must be pretty good. Stevin Hamlin, you get some props. Awesome beats — you made me notice them.
Overall, Red, Yellow & Blue is a very good album. There are plenty of exciting tracks, Barnacle Goose, for example, that don’t sound like anything else out there. Creativity is always a plus with me.
Swole Ear 
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