Born Ruffians Set North American Tour Dates, New Album 'Uncle, Duke & the Chief' out 2/16
By: Richard Best Nov. 28, 2017
Critically acclaimed Toronto band Born Ruffians are touring North America this spring in celebration of the upcoming release of their fifth studio album, Uncle, Duke & The Chief (out February 16 on Yep Roc Records). The tour includes a five-night run in the group's hometown at Lee's Palace. See below for a list of dates; additional shows to be announced shortly.
The first record since 2013's Birthmarks to feature the group's original three-piece lineup of guitarist/vocalist Luke Lalonde, bassist Mitch DeRosier and drummer Steve Hamelin, Uncle, Duke & The Chief is produced by Richard Swift (The Shins, Foxygen, Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff). Pre-order the album at https://lnk.to/ruffians.
The band recently premiered the video for "Forget Me," the second track to be released from the forthcoming album. The video stars frontperson Lalonde, watch/share it at https://youtu.be/0qlo0mhBcGA. Written by Lalonde on the day David Bowie died, he notes that, "what really resonated with me about Bowie's death was how beautiful it was-it wasn't necessarily a sad thing." Lalonde continues, "the light is something that you should embrace and feel okay going towards it."
The video, directed by Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis of July Talk, is a continuation of the video for the track "Love Too Soon" which the band recently premiered; watch/share "Love Too Soon" at https://youtu.be/UK9zRpZTCSw.
Lalonde says of the band's reunited core trio, "We all have the same weird, shorthand language of knowing how to put a song together...it's really super-fast and efficient." The album's writing was greatly informed by both Bowie's passing as well as a cancer diagnosis for Lalonde's father.
Formed in rural Ontario, Born Ruffians arrived on the Toronto scene in 2004 and released a self-titled EP in 2006 (XL/Warp Records). Warp Records released their debut full-length album Red, Yellow & Blue and their sophomore effort, 2010's Say It before joining Yep Roc for 2013's Birthmarks and 2015's RUFF. The band has received extensive critical praise from NPR, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Noisey, Magnet Magazine, Under the Radar, the Village Voice and more, and has toured with The New Pornographers, Caribou, Tokyo Police Club, Franz Ferdinand, Peter Bjorn and John, Hot Chip, The Hidden Cameras, Girl Talk, Stereolab, Tame Impala and others.
In addition to his work with Born Ruffians, frontperson Lalonde also recently made his acting debut alongside Tim Heidecker in the feature film Sundowners. Watch a trailer for the movie at https://youtu.be/r2BHYiy-WTE.
BORN RUFFIANS LIVE
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March 1
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Montreal, QC
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Casa del Popolo
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March 2
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Kingston, ON
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The Grad Club
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March 3
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Kingston, ON
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The Grad Club
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March 7
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Ottawa, ON
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The 27 Club
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March 8
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Ottawa, ON
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The 27 Club
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March 9
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Hamilton, ON
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Mills Hardware
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March 10
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St. Catharines, ON
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Warehouse
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March 15
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Cleveland, OH
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Grog Shop
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March 16
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Cincinnati, OH
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MOTR Pub
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March 17
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Nashville, TN
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The High Watt
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March 18
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Atlanta, GA
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Aisle 5
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March 19
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Carrboro, NC
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Cat's Cradle Back Room
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March 21
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Washington, DC
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DC9
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March 22
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Philadelphia, PA
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Johnny Brenda's
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March 23
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Cambridge, MA
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The Sinclair
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March 24
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Brooklyn, NY
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Music Hall of Williamsburg
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April 4
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Toronto, ON
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Lee's Palace
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April 5
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Toronto, ON
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Lee's Palace
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April 6
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Toronto, ON
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Lee's Palace
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April 7
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Toronto, ON
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Lee's Palace
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April 8
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Toronto, ON
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Lee's Palace
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