Monday, September 26, 2016

The Royal They, The Royal They, 2016

Album Review

I feel, lately, like I keep pointing out how this or that record is full of sonic contrasts. Usually it's something along the lines of, "there's a real sense of pop songwriting that shines through all the noise" or similar. Well, contrasts are what struck me about the self-titled debut from Brooklyn's The Royal They.

Vocalist (and Highland Park, NJ native) Michelle Hutt has an almost sweet, bubblegum pop-sounding voice. Album-opener "Truncheon" starts with some Modest Mouse-like guitars before Hutt hits us with, "It doesn't make you any less of an insufferable c*%t!" The music stops to let her deliver the key word with emphasis, and then things blast off into loud, 90s-inspired territory.

"Pinkeye Baby" is some straight-ahead post-punk grunge. Hutt's vocals are a little more manic, but they never quite break into a full-on scream. Drummer Rick Martinez is amazing on this one as he is throughout the record.

With the one-two punch of "Countenance" and "Laurels," The Royal They move into some heavy dream-pop or post rock territory. On the latter, Hutt (guitar), Martinez (drums), and Darrell Dumas (guitar) create a crescendo of noise while Hutt's high-register floats through the walls of sound.

Garage rocker "Kamikaze" features some snotty call and response vocals between Hutt and one of the guys. It's pretty straight-forward rock-- a change from some of the more "alternative" stuff that's preceded it and just a fun one to cut loose to. Similarly, "Lyric Machine" is hard rock power pop in the vein of something like Veruca Salt. And, in a pretty clever twist, The Royal They use "Lyric Machine" -- easily the poppiest song on the record -- to criticize the commodification of pop music: "Lyric machine, lyric machine, can't see any color other than green."

The album closes with the punk of "Full Metal Black" and "Shinburner." On both, Hutt delivers the verses in staccato almost spoken-word and Martinez is absolutely furious. Lots of involuntary head-bobbing and bouncing to these; and, rather than the easy let-down of an album-closing acoustic number or ballad, The Royal They send you off out of breath with your heart pounding.

The Royal They features a ton of contrasts: not only the one I mentioned above between Hutt's vocals and the heaviness of the band, but it also weaves among contrasting styles from grunge to post-rock to garage rock to power pop. Hutt shows herself to be a versatile front-person adapting ever so slightly to fit each style; and, as a band, The Royal They move seamlessly through their paces.

The Royal They is out now on King Pizza Records.

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