Judge my indie music taste. I dare you.

[Disclaimer: hipster music has gotten to me.]

Born Ruffians is a band incredibly popular on SoundCloud, and I realize why. Their sound is infectious. “Exuberant pop,” I heard, was one of their taglines on SoundCloud. And it reigns true to its word, this description.

Lead singer Luke Lalonde has one of those whiny voices girls swoon over, but I’m glad zero of my friends know of this band, for they’d ruin it for me.

My largest fear for indie bands (and yes, this is so ‘hipster’ for me to say) is to see them become a radio/production company puppet. One where their music no longer comes from the heart but from trying to make pop hits. Acts lose their integrity from fame, it’s the sad truth. Sure, some bands handle it properly, such as Fall Out Boy and Paramore and Panic! at the Disco (all coincidentally signed to Fueled by Ramen records). But many bands just go to shit.

Born Ruffians is unheard of, and they’re unspeakably good.

Have a listen to this acoustic jam.

And here’s the regular edition.

Let me know which one you prefer!