This weekend will see Born Ruffians return with their new album Beauty’s Pride via Yep Roc.
Ahead of its release the band shared a handful of singles including “Athena.” The track features a slick blend of 80s pop qualities that are a perfect fit for Born Ruffians unique and quirky pop sensibilities.
Speaking on the single, the band’s Luke Lalonde adds:
I was writing about why Athena, goddess of war, would be interested in online discourse and stuff like that. I’m begging Athena to take it easy on me. Sometimes there is a real carrot and stick, never ending search for fulfillment in life. The point is to perpetuate desire in an endless ouroboros. Inadequacy is the currency and it is printed in never ending supply. “Athena” is a deviation on Beauty and Pride as it dips into capitalist dystopia for a moment but in a fun, danceable way.
Also this is a fun groove that we came up with together. Maddy’s descending keyboard line over Mitch’s groovy bass part propelled this song into the studio before I had any lyrics. We recorded a version with Graham Walsh back in 2021. I tracked the vocal melody but took the song home and wrote the lyrics in the following months. Then we re-tracked the song with Roger Leavens and it was mixed by Gus van Go.
Find the music video for “Athena” available to watch below and find the previously shared single “Supersonic Man” available to stream below as well as their upcoming tour dates. You can also pre-order the album here.
June 13 – Burlington, ON – Sound of Music Festival
June 14 – Picton, ON – Base31 (Sergeants Mess Hall)
June 27 – St. John’s, NL – Iceberg Alley Festival
June 28 – Whitby, ON – Whitby Music Fest
July 5-6 – Orillia, ON – Mariposa Folk Festival
September 20 – North Bay, ON – Bay Beats Festival
October 2 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
October 3 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
October 4 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
October 5 – Washington, DC – Pearl Street Warehouse
October 7 – Nashville, TN – The Blue Room @ Third Man Records
October 9 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
October 10 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Pyramid Scheme
October 11 – Columbus, OH – A&R Music Bar
November 1 – Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret
November 4 – Seattle, WA – Madame Lou’s
November 5 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
November 7 – San Francisco, CA – Café Du Nord
November 8 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
November 9 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
November 11 – Phoenix, AZ – The Rebel Lounge
November 13 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
November 14 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
November 15 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada
Join the conversation