There's quite a dearth of bass solos in rock music, and while some would argue it should stay that way, when they are played as artfully as Mitch DeRosier plays them in Hummingbird, look out.
The new single from Toronto's Born Ruffians has DeRosier soloing separately with vocals and with drums, switching from support roles to carrier of the main (excellent) riff to tight, unique lines. Piping through above this, singer Luke LaLonde's sometimes incomprehensible but always full of energy vocals pierce the song with excitement. Guitars swirl in and out, sometimes picking up a riff, sometimes floating, adding a touch of grace to an otherwise uncompromisingly frenetic pop-rock song.
With all the energy and excitement, it's easy to overlook the lyrics, which are an accomplishment in their own right. Lending a somber twist to the shimmering soundscape, the song has a part where a character talks to herself: "I can't make it on my own, and it's so hard to be alone, when I die, I'll be alright". This juxtaposition of the jubilant mood of the music and the droll feeling of the lyrics just adds another layer to this already wonderful track.
If Born Ruffians' debut record is as compelling as Hummingbird, it will be a thing to behold.
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