Rufio - The Loneliest EP
Released: January 19, 2010
Record Label: The Militia Group
Yeah, we've heard it before. "Don't you remember when pop-punk had actual PUNK sound in it?" Yes, yes, we pop-punk fans are broken records. Can you imagine the excitement when we found out when pop-punk stalwarts Rufio were recording new material? You couldn't fathom. The first sign of life from them is The Loneliest EP. From the second the song clips were put on Amazon, I was salivating. Now that I have it, the review will be short and sweet, just like the EP.
The EP kicks off with "All That Lasts", which sounds like a song in between MCMLXXXV and The Comfort of Home. It's fast, and it's definitely Rufio's strong suit, which is what we were all hoping for. The second track is the extremely well done pop-rock title track. It's a damn catchy track, and you can tell how far the band has come from a songwriting standpoint, even if it is just Scott and Clark who are left.
Speaking of that, drummer Terry Stirling and Taylor Albaugh definitely hold their own. The guitars once again sound excellent; if they didn't, they wouldn't be Rufio, would they? Terry Stirling's drum work is fast and tight, and it's on park with Mike Jimenez. Taylor's bass lines, though, are kind of run of the mill. Jon Berry's presence was definitely felt on previous Rufio releases, but they also sound just fine without him. Scott's vocals are vastly improved, the hint of youth in his voice is almost gone, and he sounds like the true singer he was always capable of being. The production was good, but I feel like the mix was too even, when they could have turned up the guitars and bass a bit to give their stellar guitar parts a bit more life.
The EP ends with two acoustic tracks of the two previous tracks, and that concept kind of bummed me out. Well, it bummed me out until I listened to the tracks. These acoustic versions weren't just a tacked-on afterthought. They sound great, and you'll have a hard time skipping them.
All in all, Rufio is back. Even from a 4-song (technically 2-song) EP, you can definitely tell how large their range as songwriters has gotten. All we can do is beg and pray for that full length to appear soon.
Ya Rufio. Always loved this band had all 3 of their records. Will be buying this in a couple days. If they release a full-length I hope they have an opener equal to or greater than Above Me, that is one of my favorite openers for a record.
On their twitter they posted a pic showing the progress board for the new album. It's already pretty much done and has like 14 songs. The only downside is that both of the EP songs were included on the list for it... but i agree that those songs are awesome, so it's all good i guess
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