Since his debut on Paul Institute in 2017, Ruthven has gently unravelled his unique blend of classic R&B influenced soulful maximalism with careful consideration. With ‘Rough & Ready’, he leans into classic songwriting while maintaining lush instrumentation to create a portal that traverses decades, touching upon influences from Steely Dan to Prince, and D’Angelo to Kate Bush. The creation of the album came with its challenges, but Ruthven remained committed to making deeply personal and relatable music.