Celtic Folk Punk and More has been looking for hidden gems for the last 7 years. And one of our fave places to find new interesting bands is Canada. During the last  years we have discovered the likes of Whiskey Wagon, Craic the Lens, The Fourth Well or River Jacks. Maybe they don’t belong to the straightforward Celtic punk /Celtic rock world, but given that we’re called Celtic Folk Punk AND MORE, there is always enough place for them at our e-zine.

The latest Canadian band that I’ve recently come across is Ruckus Deluxe. They are Cirque du Soleil lead singer Chad Oliver on acoustic guitar and Grammy® nominated violinist Ian Cameron on fiddle, electric guitar and mandolin.

As they have told me “We are based out of Whistler BC Canada, we are playing a style of music that’s not really Celtic, not really country, not really folk, just a hybrid of each. We are kind of calling it “Cel-try”, as much as we love bands like Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys etc…we could never seem to make it sound the same (as much as we tried) It turns out Merle Haggard and John Fogerty influenced us as well. “

“Crashing the Gate” is Ruckus de Luxe third album. What can I say? This album is a killer! You won’t find the usual pub standards among the 10 songs, but the Celtic spirit is stuck to the bone. The album kicks off with “Dragging Me Back Home”, a top-notch song with a Paperboys twist showcasing Ian’s fiddling.

Track no. 2 is titled “12 Pubs” and together with the previous number is one of my top5 songs on the album. Once again, the song features an infectious fiddle and great lead vocals by Chad. Celtic pop at its best.

On the mandolin driven “Who You Supposed to Be”, Ruckus de Luxe moves to the country territory. And they do it pretty well.

“The Line in the Sand” reminds me of The Hooters. The mandolin tune has a traditional feeling that Celtic fans will love.

“Drunk Most of the Time” is another standout and I’d file it together with The Swinish Multitude stuff. Kick-ass song.

“It’s Over” is catchy as hell, probably the best song on the album and a perfect song to sing along and dance. Just listen to the fiddle tune towards the end. Wonderful!!!

Track no. 7 is called “The Long Way Round”. The boys come back to the country territory with that addictive mandolin sound. It’s followed by “Strolling Around the World” another mandolin led song where Chad shines on lead vocals.

“Stumbling Home at Dawn” also rivals with The Paperboys and “Long Lost and Gone” is a live take of a country song. In fact, the guys have told me “We road tested these songs in front of live audiences before we recorded them. If it did not make people dance, or clap along in a live situation, it did not make the record.”

Do you like The Clumsy Lovers, The Paperboys or The Elders? Then you should grab a copy of Ruckus Deluxe “Crashing the Gate” straightaway. I’m sure that sooner or later these guys will be nominated for some Juno Awards. They deserve it.

Tracklist:

01. Dragging Me Back Home 03:36
02. 12 Pubs 03:40   
03. Who You Supposed To Be 03:00   
04. The Line In The Sand 03:38   
05. Drunk Most Of The Time 03:56   
06. It’s Over 03:32   
07. The Long Way Round 03:02   
08. Strolling Around The World 03:14   
09. Stumbling Home At Dawn 04:14   
10. Long Lost And Gone (Live) 03:46

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Review by Kinksmarkham