BORN RUFFIANS - Red Yellow & Blue

In a world where Modest Mouse's spunk has staled with the inevitabilities of age and Built To Spill's guitar heroics increasingly cancel out pure pop pleasures, the pieces are in place for Born Ruffians to persuade the legions, young and old(er), in need of a good bratty yelpalong. Lead singer Luke Lalonde's register-pushing pipes, often abetted by gang vocals from rhythm section Mitch DeRosier and Steve Hamelin, help set the Ruffians apart, along with the bold bareness of Rusty Santos' production, a refreshing change from the ProTooled maximalism so prevalent in recent indie-rock.