So, I caught Royal Bangs on Tuesday night opening for Geographer. I liked their albums but wasn't over the moon with them either. Sometimes, seeing a band live can real change your perception of their sound and this was one of those cases. Ryan Schaefer is a solid frontman and can really belt those songs out with energy. Their entire set made me replay Brass front to back and see what I was missing. I was pleasantly surprised how good the album is. It's hard to nail their sound down and that might be the problem selling this band to listeners. In an era of, "if you like this band listen to this other band," Royal Bangs are just one of those bands lost in the category shuffle.
"Octagon" is their latest song from Brass and might be one of my favorite tracks from this band. I really dig the lyrics and the vibe of the entire track. It's got a Bob Seger feel to it from the late 70's. Maybe it's the moments of piano/guitar solos or just the way Schaefer sings. Maybe, just maybe, it's the beard. Ok, Seger is a stretch but you get the picture.
"Better Run" was actually the first song I heard from Brass and as always surprised these guys are from Kentucky. They have a Chicago sound to me, a distant cousin of the band Stepdad with less synth. The guys really played the hell out of this song live. Hats off fellas. Buy this album and don't miss them on tour with Geographer. These guys have great energy on stage and a well crafted sound.
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