Received an email from a regular reder today who asked me: ” Do you know anything about The Royal We/1990’s split single Sorry For Laughing/Poor Old Soul?”
Now, unfortunately I don;t but can anyone out there help? If it is not an urban myth then it’s not on emusic or itunes. If anyone can help, please get in touch…
Anyway, it gives me the opportunity to post a track a piece by these bands.
1990s -‘You Made Me Like It.’ mp3
The Royal We -‘Three is A Crowd.’ mp3
Album Review: The Royal We -‘The Royal We.’ (Geographic)
The case for the prosecution
M’lud, for starters, this is an eight track mini-album. The singer of this six-piece Glasgow-based band, Jihae Simmons is actually from LA and according to no other document than her press release grew up with an idealised image of Glasgow, gleaned from the lyrics of Belle and Sebastian and Orange Juice. This is utterly idealistic; I taught on the south side of Glasgow for a year, and believe me, the kids were nothing like the cutesy, twee, anti-macho images those bands suggested. Lots of wonderful kids, and quite a few headbangers, but they were either wearing all black, or Adidas tracksuits. The band are clearly devastated that they formed too late to be on neither the C-86 tape nor the Rough Trade Indiepop 1 compilation. They are old-school indie, but old-school indie by numbers, and they split up on the day that this, their first album was released. This is too contrived to be true. They dress in a cutesy way that is just painful to behold.
The case for the defence
m’lud, I can’t help thinking that m’learned friend has actually missed the point somewhat, here. Yes, it’s an idealised image of Glasgow but one that I too had (until no less an authority than Stevie Jackson of the popular beat combo Belle & Sebastian pointed out to me that the stories on the back of their records were just that. Stories). And yes, there’s bits of Belle and Sebastian there, but I also hear Sons and Daughters, The Raincoats and even Roxy Music. At eight songs, there is no filler, and the closing song, a cover of Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’ works perfectly. And if they dress ‘cutesy’…that’s got to be an improvement on the adidas tracksuits that soiled indie in the nineties, isn’t it?
Verdict: **** (acquitted and praised)
Exhibit A: The Royal We -‘Three Is A Crowd.’ mp3
Exbibit B: The Royal We -‘I Hate Rock N Roll.’ mp3
Exhibit C: The Royal We’s MySpace
Gig Review: The Pastels/Electrelane/The Royal We
The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, April 29, 2007
And so…Triptych, the annual Scottish five day event that brings great music from around the world and celebrates the homegrown variety in Scotland’s principal cities draws to a close. A night of three bands at the small but delightful Bongo Club (which has some damn fine programming).
First up, the Royal We, who look almost as young as some of the kids I teach. They seem a little awkward, but they short but sweet set wins me over. their singer is like Siouxsie Sioux’s delightfully demenetd niece, and the band look like the archetypal scots indie twee kids (that’s meant as a compliment. Hey, we’re at the Pastels’ gig). ‘Three is a crowd’ sounds great, Is This Music? have covered them, so let’s hope they are getting more ocverage very soon.
Electrelane have just put out their rather fab no Shouts, No Calls (go, buy it. Now) album – hopefully will post a review here in the next day or so. They are a revelation live. I have never seen them live before but I would drive a long way to see them. They remind me of a more Germanic Stereolab, though the sheer attitude is unbelievable. Not in a riot grrl sense, but the utter subversion of what music sometimes expects of women. I swear I sore the ghost of nico look down from her great opium den in the sky and smile approvingly. I say to Mr. Toad from Song, By Toad that I think if Nico were alive and well in 2007 and she’d be seeking out Electrelane as her backing band. He points out, not unreasonably, that they are doing pretty well without her. And the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds is suitably impressed too.
Before Camera Obscura, before Sons and Daughters, Belle and Sebastian – heck, even before my beloved Delgados, there was The Pastels. Legends on the scottish indie scene – in fact, indie legnds full stop, the expectation tonight is high. Unfortunately, much as I want to be blown away by this legendary band, who I love on record, they have horrendous sound problems. They are joined by Japanese band The Tennis Coats, whose contributions add a nice touch that reminds me a bit of Durutti Column, but Stephen Pastel seems like a rabbit caught in the headlights. It’s a measure of how highly The Pastels are regarded that the crowd patiently waits, but his discomfort is obvious. I hoep there’s another time, because I want, so badly, to
love them live as much as I do when I hear their music on their stereo. Another time? Please??
For another, perhaps more positive review of this gig, visit Song, By Toad. See if you can spot the reference to the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds…and hear some great stuff by the bands from the last two nights’ worth of gigs.