Ruen Brothers in Concert

With their dusky vocal harmonies and love of twangy ’50s rock, England’s have a sound that harks back to a rock & roll past, but with a modern urgency. Showcasing the talents of lead singer/rhythm guitarist Henry Stansall and singer/lead guitarist Rupert Stansall, the Ruen Brothers (an amalgam of their first names) grew up playing Johnny Cash and Everly Brothers covers in local pubs. Over time, they developed their distinctive sound, balancing mid-century rock traditions with noir-ish lyrics and a style rife with a David Lynch-ian theatricality. Emerging in London in 2013 with their rockabilly-tinged single “Aces,” the brothers caught the attention of Republic Records. From there, they moved to the States, where they recorded their debut album with legendary producer Rick Rubin.

Hailing from the steel town of Scunthorpe, England, the Stansall siblings were introduced to music at a young age. Growing up, they listened heavily to their father’s vintage vinyl collection, imbibing the rootsy sounds of classic artists like Johnny Cash, Van Morrison, and the Everly Brothers. By their teens, they were playing as a duo, harmonizing on cover songs at local pubs and writing their own material. After a move to London around 2013, they rented a flat and split their time between recording and traveling back to Scunthorpe for pub gigs. It was during this period that they uploaded several tracks online, including posting tracks to the BBC Music Introducing app. Soon, their song “Aces” was getting played on the radio, and both fans and the industry began to take notice.

The Ruen Brothers signed with Republic Records and traveled to the States, appearing at Austin’s South by Southwest festival and opening for George Ezra on tour. After relocating to Los Angeles, they recorded their debut album, 2018’s Rick Rubin-produced All My Shades of Blue. In 2020, the duo contributed the song “Break the Rules” to the soundtrack to the Netflix coming-of-age drama The Half of It.

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