Ruts DC - Animal Now (1981)

While it’s impossible to envisage what The Ruts could have achieved had their career not been curtailed by singer Malcolm Owen’s tragic death from a heroin overdose in July 1980, it’s safe to say that the remaining trio’s subsequent recordings as Ruts DC (or Da Capo) have been significantly under-valued.

Originally released on Virgin in May 1981 and at long-last awarded CD status with detailed sleevenotes from music writer Alex Ogg, the band’s debut, Animal Now, initially copped a lot of critical flak, primarily due to bassist Segs Jennings taking over lead vocals. Yet while he couldn’t realistically compete with the charismatic Owen, that hasn’t prevented the album from growing in cult stature since.
The edgy Mirror Smashed, strident No Time To Kill and epic single Different View all sound like logical extensions of the classic Ruts sound of The Crack and aptly demonstrate why Hayes’ finest were always leagues ahead of the three-chord punk chancers.

Elsewhere, hints of 50s rockabilly (Walk Or Run), tense, atmospheric pop (Dangerous Minds) and even
avant-garde flecks (the atonal piano solo by sax/keyboard alumnus Gary Barnacle on Despondency) are hungrily absorbed. It is, however, the immaculate punky reggae militancy of Fools that points the way to the brilliant dubwise stylings of the second lost Ruts DC classic: 1982’s Mad Professor collaboration
Rhythm Collision. (from: https://recordcollectormag.com/)


Tracklist:

"Mirror Smashed" 3:27
"Dangerous Minds" 3:34
"Slow Down" 4:23
"Despondency" 3:48
"Different View" 4:01
"No Time To Kill" 4:37
"Fools" 6:34
"Walk Or Run" 3:28

"Parasites" 5:25

Ruts DC - Animal Now (1981)

(320 kbps, cover art included)