Born Ruffians. The record is RUFF – simultaneously a return to form and a departure from expectations. Songs of refutation, lamentations of forgotten past lives and ecstatic self-erasures that say “eat shit, we did it!”. RUFF, as an idea, is everything – sound, message, band. If Birthmarks was polished and presentable, RUFF is the ugly innards that hide beneath.

Lead single “We Made It” stands as a fitting introduction to RUFF.  Luke Lalonde remarks, “Well that’s life, it kind of rolls by and happens to you, until it’s not.  But one day we’re gonna make it. Fake it until we make it.”  It’s unclear whether this is an optimistic statement of good faith; a promise of the eventual certainty of the band’s success; or simply a manic voice in the singer’s head repeating a message of reassurance with obsessive frequency.  Either way, this song – and this band – exist at the intersection of self-consciousness and unmediated emotional sincerity.  And on RUFF they do so confidently. Stereogum who premiered the track noted:

There’s an anxious expectancy to [“We Made It”], powered by a rhythm section that feels like a machine coming to life.  Low-key verses explode into a chorus that soars on the strength of a buzzing-bee guitar line and Lalonde’s signature howls… all the band’s nervous tension channeled into a cathartic musical freakout.

RUFF will be released by Yep Roc worldwide ex-Canada on October 2nd on CD/LP/Deluxe Edition, or in a special bundle.

RUFF Tracklisting
1. Don’t Live Up
2. Stupid Dream
3. Yawn Tears
4. Don’t Worry Now
5. When Things Get Pointless I Roll Away
6. & On & On & On
7. Fuck Feelings
8. (Eat Shit) We Did It
9. We Made It
10. Let Me Get It Out
11. Shade To Shade

Born Ruffians also announced a fall world tour. Dates are as follows:

Jul 17 London, ON @ Harris Park (Rock the Park)
Jul 25 Montreal, QC @ Lachine Canal (JanSport Bonfire Sessions presented by VICE)
Sep 17 Waterloo, ON @ Starlight
Sep 18 St Catharine’s, ON @ L3 Nightclub
Sep 19 Hamilton, ON @ Casbah
Sep 25 Ottawa, ON @ Ritual
Sep 26 Peterborough, ON @ The Red Dog
Oct 06 Manchester, UK @ Gullivers
Oct 07 London, UK @ 100 Club
Oct 08 Brighton, UK @ Patterns
Oct 10 Metz, FR @ Les Trinitiatres (Zikametz Festival)
Oct 11 Brussels, BE @ Botanique Witloof Bar
Oct 14 Paris, FR –@ La Cigale (MaMA Festival)
Oct 15 Dusseldorf, DE @ FFT
Oct 16 Munich, DE @ Milla
Oct 17 Berlin, DE @ Berghain Kantine
Oct 27 Burlington, VT @ Signal Kitchen
Oct 28 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Oct 29 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Oct 30 Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street Nightclub
Nov 02 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Nov 04 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle Backroom
Nov 06 Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
Nov 07 Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
Nov 08 Houston, TX @ Studio at Warehouse Live
Nov 09 Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Nov 10 Austin, TX @ Red 7
Nov 12 Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Nov 14 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Nov 15 San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
Nov 17 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Nov 18 Seattle, WA @ Barboza
Nov 19 Nanaimo, BC @ The Globe Hotel
Nov 20 Victoria, BC @ Sugar Nightclub
Nov 21 Vancouver, BC @ The Imperial Theatre
Nov 23 Nelson, BC @ Spiritbar
Nov 26 Calgary, AB @ SAIT’s Gateway
Nov 27 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
Nov 28 Saskatoon, SK – Amigo’s
Nov 29 Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre
Nov 30 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry
Dec 01 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Dec 02 Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch