Born Ruffians – Hummingbird (Warp)

Even if the name is unfamiliar, this song will ring a bell for anyone who's taken in a commercial break on TV recently, such is the apparent ubiquity of the advert it accompanies. Mindful of current exposure, Canadian trio Born Ruffians (Luke, Mitch and Steve to their mates) have moved quickly to release this track from their wonderful Red, Yellow & Blue album, and the song in question is a little gem.

It starts off with a frantic escalating scale and a swift introduction to their principal "Ah Oh Uh-Oh…" refrain, which rivals the likes of The 5678s' 2004 'Woo Hoo' in terms of unabated catchiness. The tune quickly breaks out into a cheerful, slightly mad guitar pop record, sounding akin to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah overdosing on Prozac.

Aside from the memorable riffs and enticing bassline which combine to drive the track on, a punk rock ethos seems to shine through the Born Ruffians' approach, in everything from Steve Hamelin's crazed drumming to the stripped down verses, to the final shout-along chorus and rousing outro.

The result is a song which attracts repeated plays. It'll undoubtedly be annoying to some, but I do suspect that those who dismiss it are in a minority, and in their spare time almost certainly party-poopers. 'Hummingbird' has a charming, larger-than-life presence, and the overriding measure of fun contained within its three minutes does more than enough to dispel the inevitable associations with inflatable animals, trains and mobile phone tariffs.

Rating: 5/5

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Artist: Born Ruffians Title: Red Yellow & Blue Released: 04/03/2008 Buy Now \| View Details	Artist: Born Ruffians Title: Born Ruffians Released: 17/10/2006 Buy Now \| View Details