PREMIERE: Stay Out of the Bars in Young Rival’s Hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, Unless You Want to Meet “Scruples”

The Hammer!
PREMIERE: Stay Out of the Bars in Young Rival’s Hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, Unless You Want to Meet “Scruples”

The Hammer!

Words: FLOOD Staff

September 24, 2015

Young Rival // no photo credit

Hamilton, Ontario. There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of it, despite the fact that half a million people live there and it’s located all of three hours from Detroit. But creativity often flourishes in the quietest of places, and with rent on the perpetual rise in nearby Toronto, something of a small arts community is beginning to sprout in the Golden Horseshoe.

Today, we’re pleased to premiere the song “Scruples,” from Hamilton’s own Young Rival. Sounding a bit like Deerhunter just this side of the melting point, the track is apparently about a local who visits the bar where singer Aron D’Alesio and bassist John Smith (no relation) both work. “He’ll walk up to the bar, put his finger over his mouth and say, ‘Shh… call me Scruples,'” the band say. “One time, he walked up to John and quietly whispered, ‘Have you seen any feet tonight?'” Naturally, Smith and D’Alesio wrote a song about it, and here it is. 

Following the dreamy title track, “Scruples” is the second single taken from Interior Light, the band’s third album. The track list and art are below, as well as a slew of North American tour dates with Born Ruffians.

Interior Light track list

“Carry The Weight”YR Interior Light Album Cover
“Throw It In The River”
“Interior Light”
“Elevator”
“Where’s It All Going”
“Living Like You Should”
“Bent Out of Shape”
“Let’s Get Together”
“Scruples”
“That’s Chemistry”

Young Rival tour dates

October
27 – Signal Kitchen – Burlington, VT*
28 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY*
29 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA*
30 – Pearl Street Nightclub – Northampton, MA*

November
2 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA*
3 – Rock & Roll Hotel – Washington, DC*
4 – Cat’s Cradle Backroom – Carrboro, NC*
6 – Aisle 5 – Atlanta, GA*
7 – Spanish Moon – Baton Rouge, LA*
8 – Studio at Warehouse Live – Houston, TX*
9 – Club Dada – Dallas, TX*
10 – The Sidewinder – Austin, TX*
12 – Valley Bar – Phoenix, AZ*
13 – The Music Thing – San Diego, CA
14 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA*
15 – Slim’s – San Francisco, CA*
17 – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR*
18 – Barboza – Seattle, WA*
19 – Cambie’s – Nanaimo, BC*
20 – Sugar Nightclub – Victoria, BC*
21 – The Imperial Theater – Vancouver, BC*
23 – Spiritbar – Nelson, BC*
26 – SAIT’s Gateway – Calgary, AB*
27 – Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB*
28 – Amigo’s – Saskatoon, SK*
29 – Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB*
30 – 7th St Entry – Minneapolis, MN*

December
1 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL*
2 – The Loving Touch – Ferndale, MI*
3 – Olde Walkerville Theatre – Windsor, ON

*With Born Ruffians

Interior Light is out October 16 on Paper Bag.