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Apr 21, 2020 Born Ruffians By Paul Bullock

JUICE, the sixth studio album from Born Ruffians, is another stellar collection of smart, sweet, and silly songs from some of Canada’s best blog-era indie rock survivors.

Guitarist/vocalist Luke Lalonde, bassist Mitch DeRosier, and drummer Steve Hamelin have spent the last 15 years building an outstanding repertoire of material and this time around, with the help of producer Graham Walsh (Alvvays, Metz, Preoccupations), deliver a bunch of new surprises. JUICE feels bolder and brassier than the decidedly acoustic vibe of 2018’s Uncle, Duke & The Chief.

Check out the huge horns on opener “I Fall in Love Every Night” and the early ’80s jean jacket glamour of “Hey You,” featuring Maddy Wilde of Toronto’s now-defunct Spiral Beach. This is a cool and confident set of recordings with swagger to spare but there’s also a murky emotional undercurrent beneath much of it. This is especially evident on the B-side as it makes its way toward the two-part closer of “Hazy Wave” and “Wavy Haze.” They provide a welcome bit of self-reflection at the end of an excellent, exuberant album. (www.bornruffians.ca)

Author rating: 7.5/10