Search - Rubinoos :: Rubinoos

Bubblegum power pop for the ages

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 05/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like so many bands that swim against the trend-of-the-moment, the ultra sweet harmonies of the Rubinoos late 70s power-pop never achieved the wide-spread contemporary acclaim it deserved.Sung against the background of the harder rock of the era, the Rubinoos ended up more popular with the teenage fans of Tiger Beat than the more sophisticated fans of Big Star or the Raspberries. At the time, anyway.In retrospect, the Rubinoos have gained the sort of noteriety that places them firmly in the tradition that sprung later power-pop artists like The Nerves, Material Issue, and Matthew Sweet.This debut release from 1977 features their one and only chart hit (a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "I Think We're Alone Now"), along with a host of great originals from the pen of guitarist Tommy Dunbar. Jon Rubin's lead vocals are the perfect vehicle for Dunbar's songs, and the band's backing harmonies can induce shivers in the same way as the Beach Boys could."