Royal Headache - High

Royal Headache
High
2015
Royal Headache - High

Punk can take a few different paths. It can either be straight up screaming playing your guitar as fast as you can and hoping for the best, or the more nuanced political and social commentary where tone still counts for something. Royal Headache is definitely the latter. High is a hard working hard rocking opus that connects to it's fans just as much as it is an extension of the people actually playing the music. This is the kind of music where you are not only tempted, but encouraged to jump on stage and sing right along with them. It is a communal experience like a rave but on the opposite end of the musical spectrum. Everyone adds a piece and working as a whole take away something special. Even when the band slows things down a bit like on the title track "High" there is still a sense of shouting at the top of your lungs right along with the front man Shogun. Speed never seems to be a goal for the band it is just a happy accident of the music that they are playing. The production is also gritty, with that dull hum and hiss of old school recording making a band that sound like 70's punk feel like 60's soul.

"Wouldn't You Know" in particular is a highly soulful song that Shogun's voice works perfectly on. There is clearly a lot of emotion wrapped up in this album that does not come out as just screams and fits, instead it is more nuanced more perfected than thrown at a wall. The bands more sing-a-long punk songs like "High" and "Electric Shock" follow the more common short punk song style while the rest of the record is more on par with a regular album and song length. One of the best tracks on the record is "Carolina" on it Shogun has that perfect punk rock growl while still signing a love song, something most bands often fail at. High is a real bright spot in a genre that can often become muddled and written of as inconsequential. Put something studded on, lace up your boots and take a listen.

7.9 out of 10