Assembled in, of all places, a new salon in downtown Newmarket, fans came together for a preview of Ruby Coast’s as-of-yet unreleased first full album. (That or they were there to help support Studio 5’s efforts to clean up the BP oil spill via trimmed hair.) With their keyboardist raised up in the front display window and the band crammed in below him at the end of the long, 150-year old building Ruby Coast took their positions. Sightlines may not have been great but the music made up for it. Claiming it to be their first time ever playing an album front to back for a show they launched into it – catchy indie rock from the get-go. Like their brethren Tokyo Police Club (actually from Newmarket, just up the street from Ruby’s home of Aurora) they create infectious jangly rock, tossing keys, synths and xylophones into the regular mix of bass, guitar and drums – all serving as a the bed for yelped yet appealing choruses.
Showing maturity from their More than Television-inclusive EP they haven’t lost that pop sensibility and energy (as I’d argue Born Ruffians did on their latest, albeit second, LP). There was tambourine, there was hollering and there were dramatic tempo changes. These young boys know how to move into rock territory too as they proved in the driving closing of Liza, Liza (track 6?). Garnering attention through the window from those passing by on the street they ripped through a solid rendition of Monsters, the one previously recognizable song of the night. The night and therefore album closer built up with an extended introduction and was quite dynamic as it carried on through shifts and served as a strong way to go out.
The floor withstood the strain, and the guys withstood the sweat, producing a fitting introduction to their latest effort. If all is right in the world this full-length release should push Ruby Coast into the stratosphere alongside TPC and the Born Ruffians, taking them far beyond the confines of small town hair salons.
