Reuben And The Dark: All Or Nothing

By Kerry Doole

Reuben And The Dark: "All or Nothing" (Arts & Crafts): The folk-rock combo has just announced May 4 as the release date for its next album, Arms Of A Dream. Advance singles "Heart In Two" and "Hurricane" have done well at Commercial Alternative radio and CBC Radio 2, and a new single, "All Or Nothing," has just come out.

In a label press release, Bullock explains that “‘All or Nothing’ was locked in my head for a long time. When it was finally written, I was left with a feeling of freedom, of letting go. But I am careful not to corner it into a room that is too small. It is simple and universal. It isn’t a love song. It isn’t a protest song. It is an anthem of mine.”

It has a stirring and soaring dynamic that will evoke comparisons to Mumford & Sons, with strings and backing vocals creating a very full-blooded sound. The intensely personal lyrics address the family drama via lines like "my mother found solace in hiding her pain, my father is a shepherd, no sheep to his name."

The album is produced by Stephen “Koz” Kozmeniuk, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez, and Graham Lessard, with mixing by Matty Green, and is the hard-earned result of three years of songwriting exploration by Reuben Bullock.

The band played in NYC last night and begins an eight-date Ontario tour at Market Hall in Peterborough on March 15, closing out at The Drake in Toronto on March 28. Check the itinerary here