The reason that Dead Royalties music works so well is that consciously or otherwise they appeal to two very distinct camps. Those in the mainstream will pick up on the heavy yet accessible riffs, the energy and the driving nature of their music. It’s an easy sell, ticks boxes for the man in the street, especially the ones who like things given to them on a plate and who probably bought their Nirvana t-shirt in Primark. But closer examination reveals the real Trojan horse nature of what they do. They might appeal to the man in the street, but then I have met the man in the street, he’s an idiot and to grab the attention of the more discerning music fan is a tougher job. Thankfully Dead Royalties have been at this game long enough to know that.
https://deadroyalties.bandcamp.com
Look down the cracks between the surface veneer and you see the intricate workings of the band, tinges of math rock that add dimension and unexpected complexity, subversive and questioning lyrics that seek to unravel the conventions of the world around us and angular dynamics which move the music into slightly quirkier territories. Whilst Spraying Perfume… is fairly representative of the bands musical canon, the accompanying song on this 2 track release, Cupids Chapstick, sees the band navigate newer and slightly unexpected musical landscapes; mid-paced, wonky, strutting grooves that build into driven art punk, but then they have always been able to throw you a curveball and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
