Can someone explain to me exactly what a Ninja Gun is? I know ninjas can present problems, but is there a special sort of firearm that’s been developed specifically for poppin’ a cap in a ninja? I dunno, but what I do know is that the band Ninja Gun (from Valdosta, Georgia) are pretty good. They might not be entirely ferocious, but the melodies are memorable, easy and (yes) there’s a hint of twang, but it ain’t dirty. Tuneful vocals that are anything but gruff along with a little alt-rock guitar crunch, acoustic guitars, and a rock solid rhythm section are what Ninja Gun’s got going for ‘em.
Simple tools that yield spectacular (even if understated) results. Just imagine something similar to John Strohm’s Velo-Deluxe (a fave of mine but somehow fairly unknown) and the Old 97’s combined with the anthemic power-pop-rock qualities of Gin Blossoms and you’ve come close to approximating the sound of Restless Rubes. It’s not quite alt-country or southern rock, but not quite full-on radio friendly power-pop either; instead you get the best of both worlds. I’ll be perfectly honest here and say that I wasn’t blown away by Restless Rubes at first, I just wasn’t. But I’ll be damned if I don’t keep coming back to the album every few days and finding I like it more every single time I listen. I’m sure that’s what the folks at Suburban Home were thinking when they put this out. There is an comfort and warmth about Restless Rubes that makes listening to it sorta like seeing an old friend for the first time in years without seeming to have missed a beat. It’s a record that just feels right.
MP3 | Ninja Gun – Eight Miles Out Restless Rubes
MP3 | Ninja Gun – Restless Rubes Restless Rubes
