Royals - A Spark To Ignite (EP Review)
Royals - A Spark To Ignite
Released: June 11, 2021
Lineup:
Luke Smithson // vocals
Will Sherlock // guitar
Alex Baker // guitar
Tom Guildford // bass
Tom Trowbridge // drums
Online:
Ever since Royals have made themselves onto my regular listening sessions this year, it's kinda been hard to get them out of mind. Hailing from Southampton in the UK, this bright four piece bring loads of youthful energy, bridging that awkward gap between pop and punk rock. Their debut EP, A Spark To Ignite is going to set a light off in everyone's mind and become your new favourite go-to's in pop punk world, and you'll soon realise why they're so easy to latch onto.
'Worldwide Catastrophe' is a fitting song to act as the leading track on A Spark To Ignite given, well... we're living through a global pandemic as we speak. Storming in with such prolific energy, the band are saving the world from its current turmoil, wearing their emotions on their sleeves and "they're not going down easy..." with enormous punk energy behind them. Straight up, vocalist Luke Smithson has a unique frontman stature about him that'll work well for him as the band continue to grow more momentum off the back of this release. Definitely hearing the next Alex Gaskarth/Derek DiScanio here folks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8TVNaf-DlM
Like all the OG pop punk anthems, this EP wouldn't be complete without a song about best friends, or ex-friends. Despite the over-the-top autotune in places, 'Fair-weather Friend' will seep into the inner trenches of that broken friendship and overall helping you to find complete closure on that relationship. It's shimmery pop/rock goodness that may feel like you overdosed on that Redbull can earlier, oops. 'Gone' feels like that new kid in class who is eager to make its mark in the future of pop punk and Royals are here to spread their glowing embers on the music world with this emo-pop anthem that fits in quite nicely next to Aussie heavyweights Stand Atlantic.
By far my personal favourite of this too-short release is 'Jaded'. I'm probably just going to call it now and say this is one of my top five songs released in the pop punk realm this year. Song of the year? Ask me in six months. Providing some much needed heavier breakdowns alongside some bouncy poppier hooks, 'Jaded' acts as the anthem you need to tackle some of your innermost anxieties. Guitarists Will Sherlock and Alex Baker collectively kill it together here, riding high on that punchy riff energy that's pretty abundant on the song. Final track 'Out Of Reach' rounds out A Spark To Ignite, keeping the flame lit brightly to the very last note as you go forth and make your dreams a reality. I'm a sucker for a band who can sing with such passion and eagerness, and these Brits have plenty of it to go around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux9Gj-PRSiM
It's going to take more than a five-track EP to burn these guys out. Royals have come out swinging with an impressive collection of songs that'll have you bouncing off the walls, ready to mosh your heart out at the next gig in sight. Binding together huge infectious sounds of pop punk with heartfelt, emotional lyrics, I have zero doubt that A Spark To Ignite will take this band to new heights for the years to come. Yeah, they've got the effects of a global pandemic to battle against, but with a sound as stylistic and full of energy as theirs, Royals have got the world at their feet.
Royals - A Spark To Ignite EP tracklisting:
- Worldwide Catastrophe
- Fair-Weather Friend
- Gone
- Jaded
- Out Of Reach
Rating: 8/10
A Spark To Ignite is out now. Listen here
Review By Tamara May @citylightstam
