Album Review: Royal Blood

Like any art form, rock music must constantly change in order to not only be relevant, but to remain respectable. Royal Blood, the debut album by the British rock duo Royal Blood is an explosive example of what respectable change can be. Filled with an uncanny dynamic that sounds like a hybrid of Jack White and Queens of the Stone Age and matched with a consistent style throughout, Royal Blood kicks the door in in the most refreshing way possible.

The first three tracks provide a mixture of pop-ish lyrics and driving, drums and distorted guitar (the former of which may cause you to dance a bit). Perhaps the only weak part here is the song’s lyrics, which undermine the otherwise excellent song as a whole. Then again, it’s important to keep in mind what kind of lyrics you ought to expect from a modern rock band. Occasionally you’ll come across some lyrical gems, but the frequent lack of depth and redundancy of the lyrics should not denigrate anyone’s opinion on what’s really important – and that’s the music itself. The album’s midsection keeps the pace going; every track packs a punch with both the instruments and vocal performances. Right around here you get “Little Monster,” perhaps the album’s best track. Wrapped in three and a half minutes of crunchy guitar riffs and pounding drumskins, it’s difficult not to dig the sound of “Little Monster.” After “Little Monsters,” the album gradually concludes with its four remaining tracks – never losing its grip it had from the very beginning.

It’s admirable to see such an amazing rock album produced in today’s age. Royal Blood and the band deserve recognition for spinning the typical rock formula into a fresh-sounding, respectable product. So, while not every song is a lyrical innovation and not every guitar and bass part is the most original, Royal Blood contains such power and promise that it’d be a shame if you didn’t give it a try.