Royal Blood
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2 . Thatcher firmly believed that the most cutting-edge modern music was emanating from the hip-hop world , and trailblazers like Drake and Daft Punk . For six months , the pair experimented with all kinds of permutations of the Royal Blood sound , to no avail . Once they came up with kickoff single “ Lights Out ” – rooted in an ominous , undulating rhythm and a lightning-bright bolt of bass – they came to understand one thing – Don ’ t fix it if it ain ’ t broke . The songs flowed from that point on .
The group wanted to keep things as bracingly minimal as breakout singles from its debut like “ Little Monster ” and “ Out of the Black .” It settled on stripped-down stompers like “ Don ’ t Tell ,” “ Hook Line Sinker ,” and the tumbling “ Look Like You Know ,” with the only anomaly being the string-bowed crescendoed closer “ Sleep .” Songs that don ’ t have to be overanalyzed to be appreciated – they pretty much punch you square in the jaw . “ I think for us , we have the sound down , so we just wanted to experiment with it for a while and see what we could come up with ,” Thatcher says . “ But when “ Lights Out ” was done , we found the blueprint for what we wanted to do with the rest of the album . We weren ’ t scared of adding new instruments or going out there a bit . But it wasn ’ t until it was back to basics for Mike and I that we really thought the songs were feeling the most powerful and exciting .”
And if it sounds like key lyricist Kerr has sculpted a breakup album with the tracks “ She ’ s Creeping ,” “ Hole in Your Heart ,” and “ I Only Lie When I Love You ,” well , that could very well be the case . But
Thatcher isn ’ t dropping dime . “ But we ’ re both single and ready to mingle ,” he ’ ll allow . “ But the album is written from the last three years of ins-and-outs of love and relationships , and I don ’ t think we really need to elaborate on the lyrics . There are a lot of feelings in there that a lot of people go through , and can relate to . So it ’ s not about any specific person – it ’ s just about the emotions .”
The rhetorical query of a title track seems like it might have been inspired by UK national nightmares like Brexit , or America ’ s horrific Trump presidency . “ But it didn ’ t come from any of that ,” Thatcher guffaws . “ It was actually just a lyric that Mike wrote down on his iPhone , and then it became a song , then it became the album title . And that ’ s as far as it goes .” But he enjoys the fact that fans are reading many more political slants into it , though . “ That ’ s exactly what the song should do – it ’ s posing a question , and you have to work it out for yourself .”
Thatcher isn ’ t basking in Royal Blood ’ s triumphs . He hasn ’ t bought himself anything special with his royalties , save an occasional new pair of sneakers or a posh haircut . He ’ s signed no endorsement deals , either . “ We ’ re clean ,” is how he puts it . How does he stay grounded as his career skyrockets ? “ Well , I think we ’ ve got a good crew around us that ’ s very grounded themselves ,” he replies . “ And we wake up in the morning and do regular things . But then we get to play a show , hopefully , at the end of the day . Then it ’ s either get on the bus and go to bed , or go for a drink or two and have a little party .
“ But ultimately ,” he says , in conclusion , “ I think you ’ ve got to just keep it real and enjoy yourself . And as long as you ’ re enjoying yourself ? You ’ re doing a good job .” Appearing 8 / 5 at Lollapalooza , Chicago .
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