You might know The Rubens as ‘that Australian band who conquered 2012′. Their self-titled, debut album reached platinum sales in Australia, received five ARIA nominations and saw The Rubens crowned Triple J’s ‘Unearthed Artist of the Year’. The chugging melodies and punchy vocals of hit singles like ‘My Gun’ and ‘Lay It Down’ established them as the new rock darlings of Australia. Not too shabby for a bunch of lads from Menangle NSW who, at the time, had only been playing together for a year.
In 2012, we loved them for their honest blues, raw riffs and seemingly unpretentious rise to success. Now, after a three year writing hiatus, The Rubens have finally delivered their much anticipated sophomore album Hoops.
A second album is never easy, especially for a band who have so quickly become ingrained in Australian music culture. Hoops is a gutsy experimentation with some new sounds for The Rubens. The result? Sometimes it’s a miss, but most times it is an absolute slam dunk. We did a couple of laps of Hoops and here’s what we learnt:
The Rubens Have Grown Up
It’s been a while between records and we’re all a bit older and, hopefully, a little bit more mature. With Hoops it’s clear that the Rubens have done a few more trips around the block. They went into recording with a swag of accolades and a much clearer vision of what they wanted to get out of a second album – and this shows.
The newfound maturity is, at least in part, due to the expertise of producers David Kahne and Michael Brauer. But The Rubens have approached the recording process with a much clearer idea of who they are as a band. You can hear this confidence from the very beginning. With a rolling drum beat and chanting vocal lead, ‘Hallelujah’ sounds as much like a battle cry as it does an opening track. It makes you want to fist pump the air and charge into oncoming traffic. ‘We’ve got this’ it says.
They’re Still Bitter About Relationships… But They’re Concerned About Other Things Too
Their debut album was unavoidably an accumulation of teenage experience. Angst-laden motifs of unrequited love and bitterness played a big roll in the lyrical content of the 2012 album, which is only fair for boys who were, at the time, barely on the brink of adulthood themselves.
Themes of love and loss are still prevalent in Hoops, with tracks like ‘Battles’, ‘Hoops’ and ‘Cut Me Loose’ delving into the hardships of trying to move on from a bad relationship. But The Rubens also tackle religion in ‘Hallelujah’, addiction in ‘Hold Me Back’ and even touch on a bit of positive thinking in ‘Things About to Change’. It’s not poetic gymnastics, but a refreshing new lyrical direction nonetheless.
Their Love For Repetition Is Infectious
This may be the secret to The Rubens’ success. Their lyrics are ingeniously simple, but irresistible to anyone with two ears and a mouth. Memorise the track titles and you’re good to go. ‘Hallelujah’, ‘The Night is On My Side’ and ‘Cut Me Loose’ are perfect examples.
[include_post id=”455649″]They show a clever combination of catchy melodies paired with simple, repetitious choruses that stick in your brain, only to be retrieved when you least expect it. No hint intended here, but these are perfect Aussie festival tracks. They are the kinds of songs that can overcome 10 cans of Strongbow in 40 degree heat and still be recalled by your brain to be belted out at high decibels.
Toying With RNB Can Be A Gamble
There are a few moments in the album that feel alarmingly like a ‘Top Of The Pops’ radio countdown. ‘Hoops’ may be the centrepiece track of the album, but it seems that the raw energy of The Rubens we love and know is lost in its smoothed edges and lunch box beat.
One does lament the slight loss of soul in over-produced tracks like this, but in others, the mix is just right. ‘Bitter End’ complements frontman Sam Margin’s soaring vocals with additional sampling, a crisp click beat and a grungy blues lead from guitarist Zaac Margin, leaving the song perfectly straddled between both genres.
Hoops Was Made For The Live Stage
Maybe it’s because it sounds so polished, or maybe it’s because no rock record can ever match the sweaty, chaotic energy of a live show. Everything about Hoops, from the catchy lyrics, the relentlessly driving drum beat to the strung out solos just yearns to reverberate through a crowded mosh pit.
It helps that the simple yet pithy lyrics can be chanted like an anthem over and over again (see 3). ‘The Fool’, which is the last track on the album, literally roars ‘hear me live’. The distorted guitar and heavy drums sound amazing with the wailing vocals. If you close your eyes, you can almost hear the sound bouncing off seedy pub walls into your schooner of beer.
The Rubens Are Still The Rubens
Don’t panic, it’s still The Rubens. Sam Margin’s voice still drips with that unmistakable, lustful cool. They still sound like Australia’s answer to The Black Keys and they still look like the love children of Patrick Swazye and Bob Dylan. The soul is there, the energy is there, but it’s tighter and more thought out.
With Hoops, The Rubens have established that they have control over their own sound in a way that they were unsure of in their first album. Sometimes the result is almost too restrained, over-produced or inorganic, but overall, Hoops is a well considered follow-up album for the wonder boys of Menangle.
Hoops is out now via Ivy League Records
‘Hoops’ National Tour Dates
Wed 16 Sep
Prince of Wales | Bunbury, WA (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Thu 17 Sep
Settlers Tavern | Margaret River, WA (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
* Winterbourne not appearing
Fri 18 Sep
Astor Theatre | Perth, WA (18+)
www.stagetix.com.au
Sat 19 Sep
Red Earth Festival | Karratha, WA (18+)
www.reaf.com.au
* Saskwatch and Winterbourne not appearing
Fri 25 Sep
Club 54 | Launceston, TAS (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Sat 26 Sep
Uni Bar | Hobart, TAS (18+)
www.moshtix.com.au
Fri 2 Oct
ANU Bar | Canberra, ACT (18+)
www.ticketek.com.au
Sat 3 Oct
Yours & Owls Music & Arts Festival | Wollongong, NSW (18+)
www.yoursandowls.com.au
* Winterbourne not appearing
Thu 8 Oct
HQ | Adelaide, SA (18+)
www.oztix.com.au | www.
Fri 9 Oct
Forum Theatre | Melbourne VIC (18+) SOLD OUT
www.ticketmaster.com.au
Sat 10 Oct
Westernport Hotel | San Remo, VIC (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Sun 11 Oct
Lorne Hotel – Beer Garden | Lorne, VIC (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Wed 14 Oct
Forum Theatre | Melbourne VIC (18+) JUST ANNOUNCED
www.ticketmaster.com.au
Fri 16 Oct
Tanks Art Centre | Cairns, QLD (18+)
www.ticketlink.com.au
* Saskwatch and Winterbourne not appearing
Fri 23 Oct
Max Watt’s | Brisbane, QLD (18+)
www.oztix.com.au | www.
Sat 24 Oct
Coolangatta Hotel | Coolangatta, QLD (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Thu 29 Oct
Panthers | Port Macquarie, NSW (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Fri 30 Oct
Entrance Leagues Club | Central Coast, NSW (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
* Saskwatch not appearing
Sat 31 Oct
Enmore Theatre | Sydney, NSW (All Ages)
www.ticketek.com.au
Fri 6 Nov
Bar on the Hill | Newcastle, NSW (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Sat 7 Nov
C.ex Club | Coffs Harbour, NSW (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
Fri 13 Nov
Discovery Nightclub | Darwin, NT (18+)
www.oztix.com.au
* Saskwatch and Winterbourne not appearing
