Some of the most beautiful nostalgic Americana music with a hint of country blues comes from the Ruen Brothers, whose influences range from Johnny Cash to The Rolling Stones.
The song that roped me in is from 10 years ago, and perfect for a Sunday morning with the first official day of summer fast approaching, “Summer Sun”:
It is no surprise these two brothers have also mentioned Roy Orbison, Westerns and Film Noir as influences in their style. What may surprise you is they hail from Great Britain. They got their big break about 12 years ago on a BBC program with their song “Aces.”
Their name also isn’t Ruen. The brothers are Rubert and Henry Stansall, and their duo name is a combination of their first names. They have a good amount of success in the roots rock world, but you might not see much of them in the mainstream.
That’s fine, because they have some pretty well known fans. Their debut album, All My Shades of Blue, featured some musical help from Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Chad Smith as well as guitarist Dave Keurning of The Killers.
Here’s their mesmerizing title track:
Their latest album, Ten Paces was released in 2023, and you can really feel more David Lynch style American influence in their sound. They currently make their home in the United States, so that just makes sense. Their song “The Fear” is both eerily dreamy and catchy at the same time. It is difficult to not start vibing to this by the first chorus.
Whichever side of the pond you reside on, or whatever bygone era you love, The Ruen Brothers are here for your Sunday Jams to hit you right in the aesthetics.
