Review Summary: This is Rufio's sophomore effort and the saying sophomore slump is true for this album, seeing as how they did nothing special, but followed almost the same formula as Perhaps, I Suppose
Southern California boasts a number of very popular bands. Thrice, Sublime, and a couple of other ones that im pretty sure are pretty popular. Anyhow, another band that comes from socal is Rufio. Rufio released one album prior to 1985(album, not year), but they never really gained much popularity. Are they undeserving? Surely not, these guys can play, how well you ask? Read on my friend.
The album kicks off with Countdown, and when you first hear guitar playing, your probably gonna think this is just your average pop punk band. I wouldnt say so, they cal play alot better, and, 40 seconds into the album, it kicks off with, i wouldnt say blisteringly fast, but it sure burns AAR drums and you cant help notice it. Anyhow, Scott Sellers starts singing at the same time. and you notice his voice, its whiny. And its gonna be like tthat throughout the entire album, and as far as im concerned, its one of their bigger setbacks. As the album goes on, you hear the lead guitar doing his thing and and hes hes playing various riffs, and occasionally will drop in something special, but nothing to technically crazy. And than theirs the bass, Jon Berry. hes a solid player in all of Rufio's albums, and seldomly takes the lead. Listening to this album your gonna find that hes alot more prominent than alot of bassists out there within his genre. All the members are pretty consistent, and never really back too far down.
Creatively, there nothing special, but making catchy parts, they are good at. Making riffs here and there usually keeps me humming parts of their songs throughout the day. The bass intro for Follow Me, a little generic, but its nice. Or Pirate, the song sounds just as the title insists, the guitar playing like a pirate, its weird, but none the less good, and even better that they figured out a riff like that. And theres their single, White Lights, its a nice song, nothing truly different, but it is catchy.
Lyrically, Rufio is nothing special. About the same you can expect from any pop punk band. At times, even generic, take this part from Countdown for example.
"Can't take back what you said long ago.
No time for apologies, I know.
Don't be denying it.
Then we've had it all.
I'm waiting, trying,
I keep holding on..."
Like i said, nothing special. And the vocals are just too whiny, and it turns into a turn off for some, but im used to it by now.
Anyhow, seeing as how this was their sophomore effort, its not as good as Perhaps, I Suppose or Comforts of Home. This album wasnt anything spectacular, but its a solid album, and theres hardly any dull moments. A 3.5 from me.
