Ruthven - Rough & Ready

Ruthven announces full details of his long-awaited debut album. The South London singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer releases Rough & Ready on 25 October 2024 via Paul Institute / XL Recordings.

Ruthven - aka Sean Nelson - has always had a certain fervour associated with him. He first broke in 2017 as a founding member of Paul Institute, the label founded by A.K and Jai Paul, while also working as a member of the London Fire Brigade. In the long hours awaiting call-outs, when the truck was fully serviced and his breathing equipment was ready for the next job, Ruthven wrote the foundations of his debut album,  Rough & Ready, which includes the previously released “123 Days”, “Don’t Keep It To Yourself”, and “Have You Decided?”. The resulting 12-track record marks Ruthven’s arrival as a true artist in his own right. Rough & Ready leans into classic songwriting while maintaining lush instrumentation, creating a portal that traverses decades. With appearances from A.K. Paul and Francis Anthony 'Eg' White, Rough & Ready is a bold statement of Ruthven's artistry.

Speaking on Rough & Ready, Ruthven says:
“A central theme to the album is playfulness. So many genres inspired me in making this album. It’s partly jazz-influenced but I was profoundly inspired by Prince. That era, including yacht rock artists like Michael McDonald and Steely Dan, deeply influenced me. I admired their songwriting and musicianship, which seemed universally recognised as exceptional. Being a former wedding band musician, I always wondered how their music had a timelessness to it, and that’s what I tried to capture here.

While still a firefighter, I created many early sketches for what would become Rough & Ready. Some songs on the album, like “Don’t Keep It to Yourself,” were initially an upbeat funk tune, but it has evolved. Unfortunately, I lost much of my early material, pushing me to create even stronger work.  I found working with Anup (A.K. Paul) was helpful. We would crack up in the studio over some of our decisions, the musical segues, and flourishes. That infectious fun energy became a core component of the album, a reminder that music should always be fun.