IN REVIEW: Royal Blood

IN REVIEW: Royal Blood - S/T

Earlier this year, I reviewed the debut EP by Royal Blood, the hard rocking UK duo that's earned the seal of approval from everyone from Arctic Monkeys to Jimmy Page. With such high praise already heaped upon them, it was going to be hard for their full-length debut to live up to the hype. To be frank, it doesn't, but it's not for lack of promise.

Using minimal overdubs and no guitars (all that noise is being made by bass and drums), Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher have managed nonetheless to craft one of the year's most greasy, loud records. And yes, I'm going to harp on loud mastering again; as is sign o' the times, this album is given the old "in the red" treatment, with Thatcher's drums often distorting and sucking a good chunk of the life out of the songs. If you're looking for maximum enjoyment (from this record and I'm assuming all rock music in general going forward), burn your headphones, then bury them in the backyard.

Strictly musically speaking, there's not a lot of variation to be found; dirty, bluesy hard rock is what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner on this menu. That said, it's performed ably, and I'm happy to report that the abundant grooves that were the EP's hallmark do indeed transition in full to the album. Critics will cry "derivative" while citing clear White Stripes/Black Keys influences. Those influences can't be denied, and they're going to dog Royal Blood until they stretch out their sound, if they choose to.

Still, it's important to note that this is very much the work of a new band, scooped up in the crushing wave of British hype and expected to surf. Not every band can take that pressure head on the way Arctic Monkeys did, and I'm not willing to write them off without hearing what's next. Like I said, there's a great deal of promise here; with a little healthy artistic growth and some patience on our part, Royal Blood could very well become an incredibly exciting and interesting band.

August 26, 2014 • Warner Bros.

Highlights Out of the Black • Figure It Out • Little Monster

Comments

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #15-11

Alright, enough messing around. Let's cozy on up to the top 10. 15 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM History Books October 27, 2023 • Rich Mahogany/Thirty Tigers Highlights History Books Autumn Michigan, 1975 It's not easy for a band to come back from nearly a decade away and simply pick up where they left off; it makes sense, then, that The Gaslight Anthem don't really try. Instead, their sixth album takes a more measured approach that's somewhat akin to a juiced up version of Brian Fallon's solo records. I personally would have preferred a little more fire in the collective belly, but otherwise everything there is to love about this band is fully intact. 14 ROYAL THUNDER Rebuilding the Mountain June 16, 2023 • Spinefarm Highlights The Knife Now Here - No Where Fade Coming a long six years after the enthralling, expansive WICK , Royal Thunder reemerges down one member with a somewhat stripped down sound in turn. Having said this, singer/bassist Mlny Parsons has long been the s...

SOUND BITES

Search This Blog