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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Red Yellow & Blue
by Born Ruffians


9.1

based on 16 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 8 votes
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Rate this album

Official Artist Site

The third album for the indie rock band from Canada.

LABEL:	Warp
RELEASE DATE:	04 March 2008
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Rock, Indie

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Filter

Born Ruffians is just as rambunctious, not to mention far more likely to induce vehicular intercourse (or break your heart). [Winter 2008, p.92]

Pitchfork

Even if Red Yellow Blue overstays its welcome for one song, it still counts as one of this new year's most engaging and endearing indie-rock debuts.

Boston Globe

Red, Yellow & Blue delivers a splash of color to a vibrant indie soundscape.

Prefix Magazine

Their sound doesn’t deconstruct or reconstruct anything; it just kicks some tail.

Almost Cool

It's not a world-changer, but it's certainly one of the more fun pop albums that I've heard this year so far.

Billboard

Born Ruffians are in the business of kicking out jumpy live-band power-pop jams far more concerned with melodic zing than textural depth.

PopMatters

Throughout Red, Yellow and Blue the timbre is really spare, but Born Ruffians show that you don’t need much else to create a compelling record.

cokemachineglow

Born Ruffians are as eloquent in their summation of today’s indie rock style as any other likeminded band; in that sense Red, Yellow & Blue is as literate and aware as its title’s reference to primary colors implies. But knowingly limiting one’s scope to temporary fun predictably keeps the band from turning out something with lasting power.

The Onion (A.V. Club)

A spare intro, with guitar chords once per measure, refuses to develop into the expected jangle. Instead, as with the rest of the disc, it's consciously underproduced.

Drowned In Sound

It’s a frustrated listen, thanks to unrealised ideas and a potential that you sense has yet to fully unlocked, but there are enough good songs and great moments studded amongst the mire to make Red, Yellow and Blue both a worthwhile purchase to cherry-pick the best from as well as an indicator of good things to come from the Canadian trio.

Uncut

A confident melodic sensibility ensures such self-conscious quirkiness stays just the right side of irritating. [July 2008, p.90]

Q Magazine

With the exception of 'Hummingbird,' they indulge in far too many sixth-form mioments. [July 2008, p.98]

Spin

The Ruffinas are far better the less seriously they take themselves. [Mar 2008, p.97]

Alternative Press

The effortless pop smarts are appealing, but the Ruffians will need to vary the delivery if they're expecting a career. [Mar 2008, p.144]

All Music Guide

At times, it's hard to hear much unique about them. Then again, the boldness of Red Yellow & Blue--both the colors and the album--can't be denied, and Born Ruffians' energy does spark something special occasionally.

NOW Magazine

Over the course of an 11-track album like Red, Yellow And Blue, all the unison way-hoo-hay-oohing gets very annoying, especially when it comes bracketed by earnest yelping and long strummy passages that go nowhere in particular.

The average user rating for this album is 9.1 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chad S. gave it a7:
Sometimes they sound like a muscular Vampire Weekend. The vocalist bears an atonal resemblance to the guy from Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah! That is, when the band isn't busy sounding like Built to Spill and Modest Mouse. They're not terribly original, but they steal from the best. "Hedonistic Me" rocks the Camry each night I drive home from work at four in the morning.

M-m-m-matt Trocchi gave it a10:
These guys are slowly taking over the Canadian music scene. just you watch: Born Ruffians, Tokyo Police Club, they will rule the airwaves. This is an amazing disc, soooooooooo good.

James B. gave it an8:
Lets be honest, this is a very endearing album, great pop sound with fun lyrics. think Vampire Weekend but a bit more up tempo and creative

Flooded Submarine gave it a10:
Red, Yellow, and Blue, in my opinion, is one of the best records to come out of Canada in a short while and Born Ruffians are probably the most creative band in toronto right now. I think a lot of reviewers tend to unfairly compare the band to various predecessors. If you actually listen to the songs several times through, you realize how unique the structures are and the band's desire to do something different. One of the hardest things to do is take a complex rhythm or melodic structure and make it catchy but the ruffians have done that. The instruments all compliment eachother and the vocals are unique and awesome. Go Ruffians!

Eric C. gave it an8:
Though it gets kind of predictable and the constant yelps and group shouts get old, it is still a very solid and enjoyable album. They almost remind me of a cross between My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses, which isn't a bad combination. I'd recommend hearing a few of their songs before buying the whole album. Personally, while it's nothing groundbreaking, it is one of my favorite albums (so far) of 2008.

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Red Yellow & Blue by Born Ruffians

Red Yellow & Blue
by Born Ruffians