Rick Rude Enter the Ring With ‘Make Mine Tuesday’
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, Frank Black and Kim Deal, Calvin Johnson and Heather Lewis — history shows that two heads are always better than one on Planet Rock. Why settle for "I" when you can revel in the creative tension and collaborative camraderie of the "we"? New Hampshire quartet Rick Rude have clearly taken this advice to heart — the core of this young rock ensemble is a simple musical bond shared between two longtime friends, guitarist Ben Troy and bassist Jordan Holtz (and, of course, their deep admiration for the WWE icon after whom their band is named). The former songwriter has a penchant for emo-tinged tales of ghosts and demons; the latter opts for a more sentimental approach, staging folksy inquiries into issues of corporeal autonomy and existential despair. Lest these lyrical attitudes drag Rick Rude into the doldrums (not that they'd mind), the band (which also includes guitarist Noah Lefebvre and drummer Ryan Harrison) keeps a turbo-charged, grungy back-end, ultimately arriving at a gnarled, hand-hewn sound reminiscent of gruff-hearted bands like the Wrens — or perhaps Cheap Trick's rural cousin.
After releasing a smattering of EPs over the past three years, Rick Rude are finally entering the ring for the first time with Make Mine Tuesday. It's the perfect introduction to the rising New Englanders, not to mention a great soundtrack for whiling away a lazy winter day in front of the radiator, beer in hand. Stream it in full below, and scroll down for the band's upcoming tour dates.
Rick Rude's Make Mine Tuesday LP is out January 20 via Sophomore Lounge / Tiny Radars. Pre-order it here.
RICK RUDE on TOUR
Jan. 12 — Portland, ME @ Oxbow
Jan. 13 — Allston, MA @ O’Briens
Jan. 14 — Burlington, VT @ Arts Riot
Jan. 19 — New York, NY @ Shea Stadium
Jan. 20 — Philadelphia, PA @ New Planet
Jan. 21 — New Brunswick, NJ @ In The West