Perhaps, I Suppose,
RufioRufio, Rufio, Ru-fi-o! Boy, have I been waiting a long time to hear this record. I've heard so many good things about it and all I can say is believe every single one of them. They've recently signed to Nitro Records, and if 'Perhaps, I Suppose' is anything to go by this lot are going to be huge.
Kicking off with 'Above Me', the band launch into one of the greatest intro riffs ever. It sounds a hell of a lot like 'Angel' by Slick Shoes, but both songs rock so what the hell. Melodic, crunchy guitars are overlayed by some quality vocals and excellent fill-in guitar licks. All in all, a great start. 'Still' continues the promise with a great singalong chorus played at a frenetic pace. It's easy to see why Rufio have been compared to the likes of New Found Glory and Slick Shoes, but there is enough here to make them stand out from the pack.
And 'One Slowdance' is a great example. Whereas Slick Shoes stick to a tried and tested formula of playing with pace throughout, Rufio aren't afraid to mix it up. And although 'One Slowdance' does sound a bit like the intro riff to REM's 'Everybody Hurts', it's still a great song. 'In My Eyes' is another great song, with the melodies really standing out. I know it's lazy, but this is like a less harsh MxPx. Scott Sellers' vocals are really lush throughout the record, which has a nice thick, well-rounded sound and tone throughout.
'She Cries' is another example of mixing up the pace and structure of the song to add to its appeal. Then the poppy, and very cool, 'Dipshit' follows. Crashing drums and a kick-ass lead guitar part kick things off in spectacular fashion. Although lyrically Rufio do sing about the usual 'girl-breaks-heart' scenario, they are clever and poetical enough to hold their own. 'Just A Memory' will stick in your mind for a long time and 'Face The Truth' is a brave attempt at a ballad, even if it does sound a bit like 'Broken Sound' by New Found Glory. Still, it breaks up the pace and is a worthy stab at being different.
'Road To Recovery' is a definite highlight, with its lead riff blowing through the speakers at high volume. Again the melodies are superb and if this doesn't get your foot tapping you really should check your pulse. 'Stop Whining' is another anthem-in-waiting with a clever change of pace and 'Selfishness' sounds a hell of a lot like Slick Shoes. When they are at their best. 'Tears' is another slower song and again it works quite well. Mixing the dynamics really does serve Rufio well, and shows that they are a bit more than a one trick pony.
'Save The World' is fast. Very fast. With maniacal drumming and yet another amazing riff, the song is simply superb. And the chorus is brillaint too. It would be a great finish to a great record, but for some reason Rufio decided to tack on an instrumental track at the end. 'The Wrath' isn't that bad, but it does all seem a bit pointless.
If you like New Found Glory, The Starting Line and all of the other pop-punk soundalikes, then you'll love this. People can call it generic but there's enough originality here to show that Rufio are better than your average pop-punkers. With a new record out this year, expect big, big things from Peter Pan's friends...
Paul Savage
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