The D.C.-based band U.S. Royalty has been a love of mine for a while now. I first saw them perform two years ago and was captivated. Their stage presence is unparallelled and their energy is the strongest thing in the room. These guys aren’t just like every other band. They bring more to the table; these mysterious music chops that might take your average mainstream band decades to perfect.
Led by “young American soul” John Thornley, in a poncho and snakeskin boots and wearing a medallion around his neck, U.S. Royalty are far from average. But their throw-caution-to-the-wind, fiercely different, beardy, hippie ways may be just the thing to claim and keep audiences’ attention.
Since that first show, I had been listening to my seemingly basement-made U.S. Royalty CDs and wondering how no one could have heard of them. The tracks were so energized; with long guitar riffs, impressive harmonica lead-ins, and a toe-tapping beat led by drummer Luke Adams.
And then they came out with a real album, Mirrors, released January of 2011. Everything led up to this, everything relied on this. And it blew my socks off.
They presented a sensual mix of the kind of songs that remind you that U.S. Royalty is not your average band. Guitarist Paul Thornley really got a workout on this one and evidently put a lot of himself into these chord progressions. Everything came together perfectly; literally the definition of the word harmonizing.
Hollywood Hollows starts off this musical orgy, exploding through your speakers and demanding props, exclaiming,
“Hot nights couldn’t get that much longer / bare bones in the heat of the summer / red light flashes out of the window / like alley cats we soak it up, we mix and we mingle / mmm.”
Next come songs like Monte Carlo and Equestrian, both of which could easily be played on mainstream radio, or at least college radio. Next, glistens and chirps the first notes of Vacation Vacation. Anytime I hear this song, it doesn’t matter what mood I’m in, I’m suddenly calm, in some field of gold on a summer day. That’s how powerful this stuff is. Track after track and another couple steps down this wooded path of folk/pop/rock mix they’re leading us, the excellence doesn’t let up. And then suddenly we’re in the desert.
The Desert Won’t Save You is seven minutes of passion, a humming bassline, thoughtful noise; a song that John demands the lights be dimmed for. It is only proper to snap your fingers along to the beat; you don’t know where you are in the desert but you’re pretty sure you’re about to be hit with a headbanging guitar riff. Crashing symbols join the relentless bass, let up for soft cooing, then artfully burst back note by note. We don’t mind the vultures, we’re riding the upbeat, and we’ve decided we don’t want to find our way out. The Desert Won’t Save You is honestly one of the most impressive songs that has ever graced my ears.
I was lucky enough to see U.S. Royalty perform their set from this album, in the basement of a club and a foot away from the band only a few weeks after the release and they were more polished and badass than ever before.
After recently being featured on SPIN.com, during an episode of One Tree Hill, in an ad for GANT Rugger clothing, and performing with countless other greats at SXSW, their anonymity may have dropped, but not substantially. I have a feeling their upcoming tour, where they are opening for Third Eye Blind, announced in the past 24 hours, might help that.
Someday soon, U.S. Royalty will not only have a cult following in the D.C. area but that strong desert wind will blow across the rest of the country because they provide a sound with which each of us can connect.
“We’re just cool kids living like the good times never end.”
http://usroyaltymusic.com/music/
-Mimi
Mimi's blog 