The Royal Concept - Smile EP

The Royal Concept
Smile EP
2015

The Royal Concept a Swedish Indie-Pop quartet recently moved to LA ditched some of what was successful on their debut album Royal and brought a brighter sound to this EP Smile. The guitar is splashier here, the drums brighter with a healthy helping of cowbell which in all honesty is not the greatest. Their sound comes across as very thin, as if there is something underneath wanting to get out, but they are burying it with California sunshine. The first two tracks "Smile" and "Fashion" are out and out pop songs and there really is not much substance to the album until you get to the third track, not a great move for a five track EP. Even songs like "Hurricane" though super catchy feel clunky and forced. Nothing on this EP is organic, it is produced to create a certain vibe but one that never connects or feels all that fun.

It is hard to really bring some emotion to such a short album but "Just Wanna Be Loved By U" the final song on the album actually manages to accomplish this. This record more than anything feels like a placeholder. It has been two years since Royal Concept have put anything out and they needed something or faced becoming a bit irrelevant or watching the genre pass them by. Smile gives people something to listen to for a bit while the band goes back in a really crafts something. However it is hard to give this album a really fair shake since it does seem so transient. Let's wait and see what comes next from Royal Concept before we really pass judgement.

5 out of 10