At first, Australian band Royal Headache, seem like your average pop-punk band with a lo-fi sound. That is until you hear the lead singer... who's voice sounds like he should be fronting a fiery soul band from the 60's. It's these vocals, and the overall talent the band has for tight hooks and catchy melodies, that makes this debut such a fun listen.
Take the first track "Never Again" for example: A passionate punk tune with the lead singer's soulful vocal soaring over the mix. Or the track "Surprise" which seems to signify that the band knows the true strength of their frontman; putting together a song that sounds just like the band I imagined the singer to be fronting.
Now I can go on and on about vocals, easily the band's most interesting aspect. But then I'd be leaving out a large chunk of what makes this band enjoyable in the first place. As I mentioned above, these Aussies really know how to put a catchy tune together, ( "Girls" "Never Again") but they also pull out two very well done instrumentals, "2 Kinds of Love" and "Wilson Street". The latter of which is easily one of the strongest tracks on the entire album.
And when it comes to slowing things down, Royal Headache offers again; two very strong tracks, "Down The Lane" and "Honey Joy".
It's really great to see something unique, catchy and actually kind of joyful come out of the punk scene. With Royal Headaches debut, you get 26 minutes of pure enjoyment, no filler, not a song out of place. A rare thing indeed.
8.6/10
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