Russell HughesRoyal Republic – Weekend Man (Spinefarm Records)
Genre: Rock ‘n Roll
Is this the moment Royal Republic mature?
From Underwear and Full Steam Spacemachine on We Are The Royal to Molotov on Save The Nation, the Swedes have an excellent history of creating fun, good time songs without any multi layered meaning.
But could Weekend Man be the time for them to burst through into the realm of seriousness?
In a word, no. These four classically trained musicians create sounds that couldn’t be further away from their education. Drummer Per Andreasson just wants to hit things hard, while charismatic frontman Adam Grahn is here to vent.
Underpinning all of that is the fact that these are extremely talented musicians. In Grahn they have a unique talent whose ability to create addictive, catchy songs time after time is a rare gem – while Andreasson, guitarist Hannes Irengård and bassist Jonas Almén back him up perfectly.
Songs like When I See You Dance With Another are the staple Royal Republic fare – catchy, upbeat and about a girl, while People Say I’m Over The Top and Follow The Sun come at things from a different approach – the former is a gritty, faster in pace and makes use of Almén’s gritty vocals, while the latter is all about giving yourself a reality check.
Making an album is hard work, but the Swedes seem to put every ounce of fun into their music. This band has a unique talent for creating music that never gets old and keeps on hitting the sweet spot. Who needs maturity anyway.
RUSHONROCK RATED: 10/10 Royal Seal Of Approval