The Rubens make the difficult second album look easy.
With their new album, ‘Hoops’, the boys from regional NSW sound like they are from the deep US south. Their hook-laden soul is a recipe for success.
The Rubens took the stage (9 Oct) with blinding lights and blaring hip hop beats. The sounds and themes of African-America pervade their music. Their biggest hit ‘My Gun’ could be thematically compared to Hendrix’s ‘Hey Joe’, while ‘Hallelujah’ is Gospel-infused blues, as the name suggests.
Lead singer, Sam Margin, has also partially embraced the gaudy fashion that comes with modern, urban music, wearing a shiny, white jacket replete with gold trim and drug imagery. The band has come a long way since being Unearthed by Triple J three years ago. The band acknowledged the impact the national youth broadcaster has had on their career by playing ‘Lay It Down’.
Their new sound traverses the alternative-mainstream divide, though, with a song like ‘Things About To Change’ being reminiscent of Bruno Mars. Their broad appeal meant the massive HQ venue was almost filled to capacity. By the last song, fans had spilled onto the stage and were taking selfies of themselves dancing with the support acts, Saskwatch and Winterbourne.
Saskwatch’s lead singer Nkechi Anele is a captivating performer, integrating mime and belly dancing moves into her soulful delivery. Their music hops from many genres, with influences ranging from Motown to the psychedelic. Like The Rubens, they have a sound that can be exported to the world.
With the songs that The Rubens are accumulating, they will be filling stadiums in no time.
