It must feel like having the weight of the world on your shoulders when you’re relatively unknown on UK shores and are being thrust in every rock fan’s face as the ‘next cool thing’. Having been put on front covers and handed big festival slots off the back of their impressive debut, Palaye Royale have been given every opportunity to make a huge impression, but there’s never been a more pivotal moment in their careers than now.
Palaye Royale have never let out a shred of nervousness – only confidence. Having racked up millions of YouTube views already, the self proclaimed ‘art rock’ band are ready to unleash their second full length album ‘Boom Boom Room (Side B)’, offering swagger, singalongs and cliches.
Whilst bands like Creeper pull off the ‘can’t fit in with cool kids, wear all black all day’ look effortlessly, the Canadian three piece’s take on all things alternative seems almost forced. It might be a cliche in itself, but the saying all style and no substance repeatedly comes to mind. Whether it’s song titles like ‘Death Dance’, calling their fans ‘The Soldiers of The Royal Council’, or their pseudo names like Sebastian Danzig, they are just asking for facepalms.
Putting the gimmickery that surrounds the group to one side, however, the band do themselves more than justice sonically. Palaye Royale arrive with a psycho-aggressive, somewhat rockabilly vibe at times that could make even the biggest of cynics want to stomp their feet in approval.
‘Teenage Heartbreak Queen’ has a gritty Libertines vibe to it with a huge chorus, whilst ‘You’ll Be Fine’ is the highlight of the album as front man Remington Leith shows off his classic rock charm, with the kind of husk to his voice that could have genuine mainstream appeal.
Combining shades of 70s glam rock Bowie with a more contemporary indie rock beat, ‘Mrs Infamous’ is a short and punchy statement that could put the rest of the scene on notice. Sounding like it was made for a party but featuring the kind of dark lyricism and imagery you’d be more accustomed to for a funeral, ‘Hospital Beds’ could fill the missing MCR-shaped hole in your life.
If you erase the band’s done to death image, gimmicky names and many uninspired lyrics (verses like “we live in an age where sex and whores are gods” are just plain inaccurate), Palaye Royale’s take on classic rock is more than strong and flamboyant enough to speak for itself. ‘Boom Boom Room (Side B)’ is far from a sophomore slump – this is a promising intent of a very extravagant future.
LOUIS KERRY