'Hummingbird' - a song for all seasons
Ah, the ‘Skins’ generation. Something that has passed me by, I’m afraid. But it’s a label that certainly hasn’t been missed by advertisers and campaign managers from across the globe desperate to appeal to teens-to-mid-twenties immersing themselves in their new fatalistic culture. And so we now have music aimed at this clique. Which, shock horror, isn’t bad at all.
The attention grabbing start of bass scales and drum riffs accompanied by vocal ‘oh, oh, woah’ is classic chart-friendly ‘alternative’ music. But get further into the song and more influences emerge: California surf-rock? Eighties jangly-guitars? The rock revivalist posings of The Strokes? This all makes for a singalong friendly, but ultimately forgettable single with serious potential.
The B-side is an unusual cover of Grizzly Bear’s ‘Knife’ which cements Born Ruffians’ unique musical style. This is a welcome return for the ‘perfectly imperfect’ style of recording - no apparent digital wizardry which allows small vocal tics and guitar licks to shine through, creating a ‘live’ sound and character. The power trio reborn for the ‘Skins’ generation? Lets hope so, because these guys have potential.