Ten Paces is the latest album by Rupert and Henry Stansall who are the Ruen Brothers a couple of old-time western musicians from the bad lands of Scunthorpe. Where they grew up surrounded by the local cowboys and learnt their trade playing country covers in the local spit and sawdust saloons, as well as weddings and parties. They are the first band I've reviewed to claim Howard Keel as a vocal influence along with Marty Robbins and Roy Orbison. The bands first album All My Shades Of Blue was produced by Rick Rubin, however Ten Paces the bands third album was self-produced by Henry and recorded in Los Angeles and New York rather than South Yorkshire.
The album opens with Slow Draw that's a modern showdown argument to end a relationship song, it's all gone wrong they are daggers drawn ready to end everything over a super gently backing.
The Fear takes a steady drum beat to help ramp up The Fear of an early grave, sounding in places like The Payroll Union but with a greater love of odd sound effects, with a minimal clap track, will they find a way to stick around a bit longer.
Hi-Yo is a field holler from the deep barrio's west of Scunthorpe in the Badlands around Althorpe, as they try to get by toiling under the sun.
Don't Know What's Come Over You asks that question over and over, as to why you might want to leave them, maybe they still feel the slightly off kilter guitar will make up for that incident in Goole, that or they still aren't convinced that you really sound like Howard Keel.
Bullet Blues is a gunfight on the mean streets of Scunthorpe as they try to repel the invaders from North Ferriby, almost certain this will be the fight to end all fights, as the downbeat downcast music almost feels as if it's marking time for the death knell.
Silver To Gold has a Mule Train feel to it, with the vocals having echoes of Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash for this full-on western tale for prospectors trying to get there treasure past the brigands of Brigg.
The Good Surely Die is a bitter twisted tale of the bad men overwhelming the good by the banks of the Humber, as the Saw player adds all sorts of intricate sounds.
Free As the Birds has cautious drumming before the guitars let fly as the Birds soar above them that steady drum beat marks time as their cigarettes burn down.
Sleep is a gentle almost lullaby with cool saw and theremin as well as almost trotting horse percussion as they sing of regrets for what happened in the east, bad times in Grimsby no doubt.
The album closes with Long Road an old school country drive time anthem in a Rodney Crowell style, for that long road back to Scunthorpe, this is as gently evocative as the rest of this intriguing album.
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