ACL Fest 2015 Friday Record Review
Ruen Brothers
Point Dume (Republic)
Reviewed by Greg Beets, Fri., Oct. 2, 2015
Forged in the English steel town of Scunthorpe, brothers Henry and Rupert Stansall (showbiz surname amalgamated from their first names) infuse modernity into the more dramatic elements of post-Holly/pre-Beatles pop. Nothing packs the urgency of 2013's "Blood Runs Wild" on this four-song stopgap, but superproducer Rick Rubin's Western boom adds a rich atmospheric undertone. Henry's skyward vocal command remains the standout element, "Summer Sun" just as easily arranged for Orbison or Pitney. "Motor City" curbs the histrionics for a driving American travelogue. (1pm, HomeAway stage)