Born Ruffians - Say It

With their 2008 debut album Red, Yellow and Blue, Canadian trio Born Ruffians eschewed derivative CYHSY comparisons by injecting some Monks-style silliness into proceedings. That they effortlessly overcame their standard indie set-up to sound more enveloping and rambunctious than seemed possible didn’t hurt either. Follow up Say It comes off as a relatively considered and sparse endeavour, the tunes buried deep within tracks like Sole Brother, whilst the placement of the songs seems more testing than the open embrace of their debut. It’s touted as a more grown-up record, which initially means ‘less fun’, whilst more overt influences such as Arctic Monkeys on Retard Canard and The Strokes on Blood, The Sun and Water feel like the Ruffians are letting too much of the real world seep into their imaginations. But with a little patience, Say It’s knack for building brain-furrowing tunes from inauspicious beginnings means it’s worth the extra effort. [Darren Carle]