The first full length album by RUMKICKS is both a collection of new music and an overview of the trio’s previous music. Born Rude is a straightforward punk and pop punk album. It presents a tried-and-true punk sound without little deviation so if that’s what you’re looking for, this is the album for you.
The core of RUMKICKS is power chords, filler drums, and quick tempos. “Drinking everyday” is a great opener and introduction to the band. I will say that I think that the live shows are probably more energetic than the album because the vocals seem a little stunted. They work, but it feels a little more mechanical and doesn’t capture the energy I expected.
But RUMKICKS doesn’t copy and paste the same arrangements on every single song which is great. The band’s songs have unique elements and don’t fall into repetition. The album’s recording is a little raw which fits RUMKICKS’ overall theme. When I listened to Brutality, it felt like the album was normalized too much. Born Rude gives each instrument the space it needs.
Since 2019, RUMKICKS has released singles and one EP and gone through member changes, but Born Rude sounds like the band has found its core. If you listen to punk rock or the late 1999s U.S. pop punk, all of RUMKICKS songs will have a familiar sound and I think that’s the band’s best attribute.
In the end, Born Rude is a solid full length. It highlights each member, and the stylistic choices the band has made, and presents the discography well. I do think the vocals could use a little bit more energy because they feel a little muted, but like I said before, the true experience is probably a live show.
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Chris P
Korean Indie owner and Editor at Large. Constantly looking for new music and working on library parity on Spotify and YouTube Music.