I was first introduced to Royal Holland with the release ‘Volume One – The Maze’ and especially pleased when I received the interview request. Be it the memorable tunes, or the rash of pop up ads I recall from Holland’s last turn, I was eager to listen.
In his continuation, the Cincinnati-based (well, technically Newport, Kentucky) rocker is a journeyman few artists can quite get the hang of. I think his career is just prime for the taking; even though he has the makings of a wordsmith well-beyond his years, in songs like “The Grave” and “Holy Moses” Holland reminds that his reflections and sneaky baselines slither amongst exhibitionist-like rustic and rockabilly tones alike.
The title track is a cool, smokey retro track. The Hammond organ is killer. Holland’s slick vocals trump the ivory keys. Something about this music bed reminds me of a sharp couples dance. It begs the question – are Holland’s vocals taking the lead or are the keys taking charge?
“Polaroid Blues” captures layers of chunky guitars and a toe-tapping beat. Holland’s vocals are quite a bit brighter in this track versus “Flamingo.”
The final track “These Mundane Lives” has a lovely music bed. It’s very Tapes N Tapes meets Spoon meets Black Keys. I got lost in the lyrics on this one, too, and Holland’s vocals embraced the imagination within. The lyrics were quirky and revealed buried treasure listen after listen.
Overall, high marks. Duh. This guy is so good, I can’t wait for what’s next. More please!
