By Cameron Hale
Coming straight out of their hometown of Scunthorpe, the Ruen Brothers have taken indie music by storm with their classical Ray Orbison take on their tracks. The members are, as their stage name suggests – brothers. Henry and Rupert Stansall remind me of The Black Keys. Specifically, because of the funk distortion that Rupert adds on electric guitar, which is so cutting and pleasing to the ears when combined with the twang of the acoustic in there.
I want to pick out one of their latest singles, “Aces”, as an example of the sheer talent that we’re dealing with here. This song has attitude and power, to the point where we as listeners cannot question the passion and commitment that the brothers put into each of their tracks. Just listening to Aces before watching the official video reminded me of the vocals of 50’s artists such as Orbison, Cash and Presley.
The music video itself only confirmed my pre-judgment, with the brothers jamming along combined with muted footage of 50’s casinos completes a tastefully-done music video. To recreate this vintage sound and utilise it in a way that makes sense to a modern indie audience is what makes the Ruen Brothers undoubtedly a hit with indie lovers new and old.
