Perhaps it was premature to hope that the duo might be the ones to fight the good fight for the riff, reigniting the reign of rock as the headlines so excitedly predicted, yet the eagerness with which they seem to have exchanged authenticity for accessibility makes their fall from that lofty pedestal all the harder to watch. I’m not angry, Royal Blood, just disappointed. Rather, what’s frustrating is the way in which Typhoons signals the less ambitious intentions of a band surely destined for more, such that its inconsistencies compound and shortcomings shine. It’s not necessarily that Mike and Ben’s trip to the disco is, in and of itself, bad - indeed, as characterless as lukewarm slow-burners “Million and One” and “All We Have Is Now” are, they’re still more interesting than the confused self-parody of 2017’s How Did We Get So Dark?. Boogie-er, woogie-er cuts “Limbo” and “Hold On” are equally engaging, weaving Daft Punk style electronics within effervescent, funky refrains with admirable ease.Įven the record’s worst moments manage to worm their way into one’s noggin, as much as I’d rather they didn't - see the incessant one-chord mashing of “Who Needs Friends”, grating falsetto skwarking of “Mad Visions” and inescapable sing-a-long whoa-ing on “Typhoons”. “Boilermaker” is a veritable groove city, rekindling a hint of the spirit of the band's 2014 debut with its palpably punchy percussiveness, riding its massive lead riff all the way home. These words weren’t written reluctantly through gritted teeth, but rather with a bobbing head and tapping toes, such is the obvious appeal of the duo’s 2021 effort. Typhoons is, without a shadow of a doubt, quite fun. To avoid unjustly mischaracterising Royal Blood’s latest outing, let’s back up a sec. Once proclaimed as the saviours of rock and roll - in the UK, at the very least - Mike and Ben can be seen hurriedly stamping out the flames of that almost revolution, following in the recent chart-topping footsteps of Muse and Imagine Dragons with woefully mixed results. With their bluesy, garage rock edges sanded down and the pursuit of artistry put on the back-burner, Typhoons sees the band squeezing themselves into an increasingly generic (lucrative) mould, blending poppier, dancier, funkier sounds into their previously straight-shooting, overdriven sound. You get the gist, I'm sure: on their 3rd LP, British (ex-)rock duo, Royal Blood, have perfected the inoffensive ear-worm. “Either You Want It”? Well, it certainly has the good musical notes. Review Summary: Having resurrected rock and roll, Royal Blood kick it to death (again)Ĭredit where credit’s due, Typhoons is rather catchy.
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