Toronto trio Born Ruffians have released their latest single "Dedication," as well as a new inspirational infomercial video via FLOOD. Watch & share it via YouTube, and dial 1-855-909-0280 for more information. "Dedication" is the second high-octane track from Born Ruffians' upcoming album, JUICE, due out April 3 on Yep Roc Records.
Discussing the single, Born Ruffians guitarist/vocalist Luke Lalonde stated, "'Dedication' is about destruction. Dedication to global destruction in the name of greed, glory, and God. All of our stupid human follies and fancies. Easter Island on a global scale. How everything modern and human may be designed and dedicated to consumption and death."
Director Robert Galvez explained his inspiration for the video: "'Dedication' is like one of those beautiful poisonous frogs from deep in the rainforest. On the surface it's all blue, green, and gorgeous, but once you lick that sucker-you're toast. The song invites you in with immediate energy, and before long you realize you're singing along to humanity's demise. For the video we wanted to bottle that trickery and literally sell it. We got a functioning 1-800 number, hired some local actors, threw on some ridiculous makeup, and shot a full-blown infomercial."
15 years into their career, this group of friends - Lalonde, bassist Mitch DeRosier, and drummer Steve Hamelin - have doubled down on their commitment to their artistic integrity and vision. JUICE, the Born Ruffians' 6th full-length record, is a hyper, earnest, and affecting collection of rock & roll songs that they wrote and polished over a three-year span and ultimately sewed together into a cohesive, relentless, and uniquely enjoyable experience. It's Born Ruffians as they've always been: creating on their own terms, heads against the wind until their work is done.
JUICE evokes the desperate appreciation for, and necessity of, major key melodies and camaraderie that's prompted when your back is against the wall. Lalonde has something to say, and he's not going to beat around any bushes. There is no fat, no filler to be found on JUICE-instead, each song barrels forward with determined force. And yet, the album contains some of the band's most nuanced songs to date, from the swinging saxophone blasts on "I Fall In Love Every Night" to the near call to arms of "Dedication" to the acoustic haze of "Hey You (feat. Maddy Wilde)." Each song is a discrete neon bolt of energy and storytelling, but placed alongside one another, they become re-contextualized as interlocking pieces of a puzzle.
JUICE speaks to where the Born Ruffians have come from and presents a bold, pulpy mission statement for the future. However weird and overwhelming things get, they close out the record by reminding us that they're in this for the long haul, as Lalonde sings, "You see a light come shining from behind, reminding you that kid is always on your back." Our collective 21st-century spiritual malaise requires a salve, and JUICE offers just that: a sweet, delectable nectar from a band that's lived longer than most.
Tour Dates:
03/12 - Toronto, ON @ Meridian Hall
03/21 - Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Concert Hall
03/28 - Creemore, ON @ Avening Hall
05/01 - Midland, ON @ Midland Cultural Centre
05/08 - Burnstown, ON @ Neat Café
05/09 - Stittsville, ON @ Rainmaker Brewhouse
05/21 - Cologne, DE @ Burmann & Sohn
05/22 - Darmstadt, DE @ BED x 806qm
05/23 - Hamburg, DE @ Molotow
05/24 - Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
05/25 - Dresden, DE @ Ostpol
05/27 - Munich, DE @ Milla
05/28 - Stuttgart, DE @ Merlin
05/29 - Luzern, CH@ Sedel Club
05/30 - Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
06/02 - London, UK @ Colours
06/03 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
06/04 - Manchester, UK @ Soup Kitchen
06/05 - Glasgow, UK @ Hug & Pin
06/06 - Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Petes
