Hyper machines

Across the pond and back again, Born Ruffians jump back into the fold.

Not content to pin-down their music
Image supplied by: Supplied
Not content to pin-down their music

These days even the most fluorescent- and neon-clad of indie adolescents would have a devil of a time denying that the Midland musical associates Born Ruffians are indeed the cats pyjamas, as it were. The reality of the Born Ruffians’ ascent into notoriety has been serious buzzing thrust upwards into critical approval by kids and critics alike.

Word on the street is last week that the internet was close to exploding, bursting dramatically into flames due to the sheer amount of hype surrounding Born Ruffian’s self-titled EP and their first studio full length release Red, Yellow & Blue. Bassist Mitch Derosier explained the hype to me via phone.

“The Internet’s been really helpful. We wouldn’t have as much success as we do. A lot of people found out about us online,” Derosier said.

Although the band’s EP received plenty of airtime on CBC’s Radio 3, they were M.I.A. on both mainstream radio stations and MTV alike. Instead of waiting on a Canadian or an even American label to present the old dotted lines and show them the money, Born Ruffians jumped the pond. They signed to Warp Records, a mainly electronic label based in the United Kingdom.

While the omnipotent Internet proved essential to the band’s initial success, outraged fans began to protest that signing to Warp was the opposite of legitimate. Why sign with an electro label? Meanwhile fans of Warp’s mainly Brit-electro roster were scratching their tattooed heads complaining, “What the bloody hell is this?” “We’ve been in this debate a few times—it kept coming up. It’s a good debate, in that if you’re a fan of Warp Records.

“The label might be changing—we’re not the first [indie] band to be signed to that label,” Derosier said.

“It’s kind of intimidating. They have this kind of confidence, a faith/respect for our music.” Lately there’s been a little more faith and love for the trio back on this side of the Atlantic. While the term “indie” has come to mean anything 80s-inspired, moody or sung in a terrible East London accent, Born Ruffians produce the kind of original, progressive music that evolves and electrocutes the oft-stagnant, pretentious waters of “the in sound.”

After tsunamis of rave reviews swamped the Red Yellow & Blue release, Born Ruffians seemed to be everywhere—including cameo appearances the hilarious e-comedy Nirvana the Band the Show, based in Toronto. Despite being on a U.K. label and touring extensively abroad, Born Ruffians seem to be on the tip of everyone’s pen and also within the mysterious, silicon depths of everyone’s iPod.

Rosier said he and his former class mates and now band mates Luke Lalonde (guitar and vocals) and Steven Hamelin (drums)—just barely entering into their 20s—are excited to be producing music and living out their teenage ambitions. “I think if my 17-year-old self in high school knew we’d have our first record out last year, it would [have been] pretty crazy to me. The biggest accomplishment is having a full length record out.”

Their sound itself has proved indefinable. The three-piece band has been compared relentlessly to the eccentric, manic wiles of Modest Mouse, but Derosier doesn’t see the connection.

“We’re all over the map. We’ve been compared to Modest Mouse a lot, probably because of our EP.” “We have all kinds of different influences, but no real one band—we never sat down and decided we had to sound like anyone.

“The one thing we always talk about is the Saturday Night Live performance The Strokes did in 2001. They were staring off into space—it sounded perfect.”

They were probably staring off into space because they were high off their faces, but The Strokes seem to influence their overall sound extensively.

“They were one of the reasons we got together. We did covers back in high school,” Desrosier said.

But the question I was busting to ask, referring to the track “Foxes Mate for Life,” unravelled itself as the interview came to a close.

“Mitch,” I asked warily, “Do foxes actually mate for life?” “They do, however many experts dispute it. There are many animals that do mate for life,” Derosier replied, appearing an expert on the small, clever cousin to the dog.

Perfect. I can sleep tonight.

From the modest crowds of Midland—“quarantine from cool, but great” according to Derosier—to the packed clubs in Toronto, Born Ruffians are looking forward to a busy 2009. And watch out—Born Ruffians are returning to the studio to record a new album will probably blow the minds of you, me and everyone we know.

Born Ruffians play with Slim Twig tonight at the Grad Club.

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