POPSCREEN: Born Ruffians

If you’ve never heard of the Born Ruffians before, that’s okay. Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, the boyish threesome is just beginning to make big waves on the hipster blog circuit as part of pop music’s continuing love affair with Canada.
If you’ve never heard of Canada before, that’s okay too. It’s pretty much like the United States except colder, and with better beer and healthcare. Canada’s also home to most of your favorite actors and musicians—the ones with any talent, anyway.
Every few months, the indie executives at all the cool and current media outlets make a trip up north together to sign bands, steal ideas, and get blasted together. It’s proven to be a successful business strategy so far: Arcade Fire are filling stadiums, Feist is getting covered in Rolling Stone, and everyone’s talking about Canada like it was an undiscovered frontier.
Born Ruffians, as the most recent imports, are a decent enough band, holding their own with their fellow countrymen. The group’s callow brand of backyard pop is infectiously happy, almost to a fault. Once Of Montreal (not actually from Canada, mind you) quits the scene, the Born Ruffians are sure to do quite well.
Bouncing and yelping in their latest video, “Hummingbird,” the fresh-faced bandmates are a testament to that alluring, Canadian je ne sais quoi.
Three minutes of concentrated cheerfulness, the video features a roomful of partiers who are almost heartbreakingly carefree. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t have to stress about dental bills or airport security.
Mussy and adorable frontman Luke Lalonde leads the room in a hyperactive, sing-along dance sequence and then the whole gang tries to eat floating origami hummingbirds. Who could ask for more?
For us Americans, this is probably what heaven is like. For our lucky Canadian neighbors however, it’s probably just another Tuesday night.
—Nayeli E. Rodriguez