U.S. Royalty - Mirrors, a review

The Washington-born band U.S. Royalty are the fourth of my requested reviews, and had previously gone unnoticed to me. With an instantly noticeable nod to Spaghetti Westerns, ambitious rock and loud, distorted noise, it's likely to be greatly appreciated by anyone who's so far this year enjoyed Yuck and Glasvegas, amongst others. The record produced by Gus Oberg, who has worked with Bloc Party and the Strokes, this mere fact alone should shed some light on the rawness and potency behind this record.

The opener 'The Mirror' is a bluesy, rattling piece of majesty that instils an ominous feel, quickly merging into 'Hollywood Hollows', a kind of reimagination of Primal Scream's "Moving On Up" through a Jimi Hendrix medium. It's exceedingly catchy and the bassline throws out numerous bouncy hooks. 'Monte Carlo' is noticeably quieter but doesn't hesitate on the energy - a clear western influence adding another notch to the great American soundtrack bedpost with relentless appeal, culminating in feisty guitar solos and chanted vocals propelling them into anthem territory.


Echoes and nostalgic feels herald in 'Equestrian', where John Thornley's voice excels in constructing an enthralling listening experience with tales of hiking giving it a natural refreshment. 'Vacation Vacation' continues their kind of Fleet Foxes-influenced approach to harmonic and almost hymnal vocals; the track is admittedly not as immediately fulfilling as its predecessors but is by no means weak. 'Old Flames' casts further wood onto that husky, twilit sound like a ceremonial campfire, the rockier sounds having by now all but disappeared to give way to romantic and doe-eyed pleasantries.

But rock fans, do not despair. 'Fool to Love (Like I Do)' suddenly kicks in with about 20 different hooks all clambering together into an effortlessly catchy rock tune, sort of like Jimi Hendrix fed through the Killers. On 'Give Up The Ghost' they are poised somewhere between the blues of Bob Dylan and rockabilly of Seasick Steve, a brilliantly catchy track that spirals rhythms around you as you resist the urge to dance. The western dramatics return with 'The Desert Won't Save You', with exciting breakdowns (the guitar riffs around 1:50 onwards) and endless bursts of captivating drums, signalled with howls in the background.


This'd make for a fine curtain call but such duties are left to 'Voice Memo', an unusually pitched song that doesn't really allow for much diversity but plows along like a repetitive nursery rhyme, with lyrics of laying in fields and stargazing all concluding in a sense of embraced nature that's a little bit of a disappointment to end on.

That minor glitch aside, however (and it would have worked fine in the middle of the album) the record oozes classic rock influences. It's almost the perfect soundtrack to the USA, with nods to blues, heavy rock and folk, and with its rose-tinted view of the world is a gutsy and exciting debut.

Rating: 8.5/10
Highlights: The Desert Won't Save You, Fool To Love (Like I Do), Hollywood Hollows, Monte Carlo
Avoid: n/a