The Dirty Royals

Obsessed America

(UK2LA)

Record Review by Amber Henson

The Dirty Royals are an interesting band; you can almost tell their history just from listening to their songs.  You can tell they’re British off the bat from the accent of lead singer Simon Williams, but there’s something in the music that screams West Coast.  Then, when you sit down and read what their back story is, you will find that that is indeed the case.

The band used to be called The Samurai Seven, until a couple years ago when they started playing in California and gained an LA-based drummer.  They decided to change their name, and now they have an EP out, Obsessed America.

The EP is five songs and 17 minutes long, but it’s worth it if you want to get in on the ground floor.  This band sounds like early Supergrass, with some Buzzcocks and Ash mixed in for good times.  There’s a strong punk influence, but they’re still kind of pop.  They’re very radio friendly, and with that mix, it may not be long before you here them touted as “the next big thing.”

There is something strange about this album, however.  On all of the songs, they repeat the lyrics in the chorus.  A lot.  As in, I noticed it after just listening once.  After hearing it in the first two songs, and noting it, I thought, “Hmm, I wonder if this will continue for the rest of the songs?”  And indeed it did.  Same line, again and again.  It’s not exactly annoying . . . I guess they’re just really trying to make a point.

But in the melodic sections, they have modern Beach Boys rhythms, and while they don’t quite capture that sound as well as, say, The Thrills, it’s definitely something they incorporate into their unique British/West Coast sound.  So get Dirty.