After two UK #1 albums, 2 million album sales and widespread international acclaim, you might have thought: you know what to expect from Royal Blood. That assumption was thoroughly disproved last summer when they released "Trouble's Coming", a crucible of blistering rock riffs and danceable beats that saw the Brits deliver something completely fresh, unexpected, and at the same time seamlessly in line with their previous signature
When Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher sat down to talk about recording a new album, they knew what they wanted t …
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After two UK #1 albums, 2 million album sales and widespread international acclaim, you might have thought: you know what to expect from Royal Blood. That assumption was thoroughly disproved last summer when they released "Trouble's Coming", a crucible of blistering rock riffs and danceable beats that saw the Brits deliver something completely fresh, unexpected, and at the same time seamlessly in line with their previous signature
When Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher sat down to talk about recording a new album, they knew what they wanted to achieve. It was going to be a conscious return to their roots, to that time when they were making music influenced by Daft Punk, Justice and Philippe Zdar of Cassius. This called for a back-to-basics approach to match, similar to that which had made their self-titled debut album so gripping, instinctive and original
"We came across this sound rather by accident and it was instantly fun to play," Kerr recalls. "That's what ignited the creative spark on the new album - chasing that feeling. What's weird is that when you think about 'Figure It Out,' it practically contains the germ of this album. We realised that we didn't have to completely destroy what we'd created up to that point. We just had to shift it, change it. On paper, it's a bit of a reinvention. When you listen to it, though, it sounds so fresh."
Those traits pulse through the new single and title track. As it builds in intensity, Kerr's swirling bass exerts a hypnotic pull, his vocals shifting at will between raspy rock shouts and soulful falsetto. It's underpinned by Thatcher's thundering beats and tight rhythms, punctuated by groovy hi-hats.
Whether directly or in innuendo, the album explores the downsides of the success Royal Blood experienced - a consequence of realizing that success is far more complicated than it appears, and that time to take a fresh look at things is a precious commodity that is increasingly fleeting. The situation called for reflection and change, which Kerr set about doing in Las Vegas. He drained an espresso martini and declared it his last drink. And it wouldn't be long before he found that his newfound clarity had a positive impact on his creativity and his entire life
This new approach manifested itself in the duo's decision to self-produce the majority of "Typhoons". "Boilermaker" was produced by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme - both bands met when Royal Blood supported them on a massive North American tour. Multiple Grammy winner Paul Epworth, meanwhile, produced "Who Needs Friends" and contributed additional production to "Trouble's Coming."
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