It’s a hugely crowded market, so everyone in music needs a USP, right? Well, maybe, but not everyone’s USP is an actual USP, being just in most cases a vaguely interesting “thing” that is neither unique or a selling point.
Theatre Royal’s defining quality as a band is…writing heartfelt, open songs that are hummable and free of gimmickery; In short, it’s about as far removed from 2025 Music Marketing #101 as is possible. A Change of Weather is their sixth album, suggesting that this approach hasn’t quite worked out commercially so far as they’d hoped, but the Rochester based (That’s Kent, not New York) quintet are obviously nothing if not determined.
Versatility though is a trait they can honestly lay claim to. The proof of this lies in navigating the choppy waters between dyed in the wool indie (Welsh Coastal Towns), Americana (Angelina) and Britpop (Souvenir), but afterwards both their forebears (The Beatles, OCS, Fisherman’s Blues era Waterboys) and consciences are clear. The curtain comes down though excitingly via Lives Entwined, an epic song that belies their humble background. Maybe the best artifice is having no artifice at all.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 