Album Reviews

The faded Crown (or Coronet) Records cover art, the borrowed “360 Sound” “Stereo” arrows in the top strip where “Ruen Brothers” replaces “Stereo” and the retro attitudinal looks on the faces of the two brothers, one wearing string tie, one not, hint at what’s in the grooves of this audacious Rick Rubin produced debut of the brothers RUpert and hENry Stansall also known as the Ruen Brothers. They are not poseurs. They are serious. They are on a “wake up” mission that’s been developing for four years.

The brothers’ expressions on the cover will be somehow familiar to older observers, yet fresh and provocative. One is looking away not quite disdainful, the other scowls off camera gravely yet not quite menacingly. Where have you seen this before? When the Everly Brothers weren’t smiling they could look this way. But so could Johnny Rotten.

Play the record. What is this? Listening is to feel like a pinball bouncing off electrified genre bumpers labeled “ alt-country”, “punk”, “British Invasion”, “country-politan”, “Wall of Sound” and just plain “folk”.

You bounce off artist bumpers too: the majesty of Roy Orbison, the energy of The Sex Pistols, the anthemic brazenness of Gene Pitney, the controlled banshee audacity of David Byrne and even The Four Seasons (!) and maybe Frankie Laine, though I bet the brothers haven’t heard him (could be wrong). You don’t directly hear any of those artists. You just “hear” them.

Ultimately though your ball bounces off the biggest bumper on the playing field labeled “Ruen Brothers”. These young English guitar-playing guys from Scunthorpe have taken their influences and spun them into something new, refreshingly aggressive and bracing, yet not at all menacing. The melodies are old-school big, the drama is high, yet the mood insists on playfulness.

If the title tune doesn’t pump your adrenalin and get various hairs standing on your body, then “Motor City” will and if that doesn’t, side two’s opener “Aces”, with its “Watch That Man” opening and repeated riff, will! If not, you’ve likely been the whole time on life support and not capable of paying attention.

I don’t know which brother does most of the singing, but he’s got a forceful, pure, laser-focused voice that pleasingly tears right through you. It quickly becomes addictive. This is one of the few new records I find myself repeatedly playing. After years of whiny, self-absorbed, over-sensitive white dudes, I can’t get enough of these guys, who cut directly through the bullshit!

Rick Rubin found the duo, signed them to Republic Records and brought them, back in 2014, to Shangri-La Studios where this was produced using a live band featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith, Small Faces’ Ian McLagan, The Killers’ guitarist Dave Keuning and no click track to put a governor on their exuberance.

Not surprisingly, the production is smart and ear-catching. Listen to how Rubin uses the echo buss to create an unearthly environment for the background singers on the album’s only cover, Hank Cochran’s “Make the World Go Away”. You can hear Rubin advising the brothers to include at least one calmative ballad that’s smartly placed after the rousing title tune.

And not surprisingly Rick, as he often does, lays a heavy hand on Shangri-La’s compressors. I wish for just this one he’d have laid off it! The results are loud but don’t let that stop you from picking this up. It still sounds great even squashed to within an inch of its life.

Highly recommended!