The Royal We
The Royal We
Geographic GEOG31LP
2007
I got all excited when I learned that Roxanne Clifford and Patrick Doyle had been in this Scottish group prior to forming Veronica Falls. Unfortunately this band does not sound much like Veronica Falls, they play slightly retro dance pop reminiscent of Neverever which makes sense since that band's leader Jihae Meek was the lead singer of the Royal We (then using her maiden name Jihae Simmons.) When I first played this record I was really disappointed, but with repeated spins I started to appreciate it. I do like Neverever, just not nearly as much as Veronica Falls which was my favorite current band before they broke up. The album gets off to a quiet start with "Back and Forth Forever" which is an acoustic love song driven by Clifford on ukelele. The record shifts into gear with the jumping "All The Rage" which the band released as a single. It is a wonderfully poppy dance song that showcases Simmons' charisma with forceful background vocals from Doyle and Clifford that are as close as this album ever gets to the Veronica Falls sound. "That Ain't My Sweet Love" continues in a similar rocking vein although without the catchy pop hooks. Side one concludes with "Three Is a Crowd" which pumps up the sound of 1960s girl group pop to provide a framework for Simmons to vent her spleen. Joan Sweeney's violin adds some flavor to the band's sound. "I Hate Rock N Roll" also sounds like an update on 1960s pop and once again Sweeney's violin saves the song from blandness. "Willy" allows Clifford more space as a romantic counterpoint to Simmons sardonic vocal which I find very welcome. "French Legality" is a propulsive track driven by a compelling guitar riff that gets me bopping. Simmons vocal is very strong and builds in strength until she is screaming at the end. This is my favorite track after "All The Rage." "Wicked Games" is a cover of the Chris Isaak song taken at a much faster tempo than the original. Simmons rejects the sensitivity and yearning of Isaak's original vocal in favor of a more bitter and cynical approach. I don't really approve, but the song is very compelling and gives the album a stirring finish. This record shows a lot of promise although it was probably for the best that the band broke up. Veronica Falls might have benefited from a more charismatic lead singer like Simmons, but I think Clifford's more diffident style suited that band's introspective approach. Simmons is too exuberant and distracting, she needed a different band that would showcase her unbridled personality. This is still a very enjoyable record and I think the tension between the Simmons and the Clifford/Doyle styles is one of the more stimulating elements of the album. Recommended to fans of Blondie.
Angelic Swells
Neverever
Slumberland Records SLR 117
2010
I first became aware of this band when I caught them opening for Veronica Falls at the Bootleg Theater several years ago. I loved their set. Lead vocalist Jihae Meek was extremely charismatic and put on a great show. Afterward I wasn't sure how good the music really was though, I might have just been swayed by the theatrics. So eventually I bought their debut album to see if they were as good as I remembered. The short answer is "not really" but I like the album anyway. All but one of the songs were written by Meek and her guitarist husband Wallace Meek. They are mostly retro in style and content as is immediately evident in the opening track "Here Is Always Somewhere Else." It begins with the melodramatic sound of thunderclaps and rain before lurching into a lovely romantic ballad that could have been recorded by Timi Yuro if she knew some guys with jangly guitars. "Blue Genes" increases the tempo but remains rooted in the girl group era sound although I can't recall any early 60s group ever singing about incest. The song is indeed about a brother and sister who are in love with each other. It was originally recorded as a single by the Meeks' previous group, The Champagne Socialists. "Coconut Shampoo" is an ultra-poppy rocker about horny teenagers. The Beach Boys style oohs in the chorus put the song over for me. "Now" is a cover of the Plimsouls' classic song. Neverever slows down the song and mutes the rocking edge of the original making the song sound prettier and more romantic. I would not say that I prefer it to the original, but this version suits Meek's voice extremely well and she delivers a winning performance. "Young Runaways" mixes New Wave power pop and girl group vocals to deliver another ode to teenage lust and cruising. It was originally the b-side of The Champagne Socialists' single. Side two begins with the oddball "Cowboys and Indians" about cowboy and Indian lovers on a murderous rampage. This rocking song is driven by dense percussion reminiscent of Bow Wow Wow. "16th Wonder" is a dramatic shift in tone and style. It is a romantic song about teenage heartache featuring jangly guitar and Laena Myers-Ionita's lovely violin lines. It gives Meek a great opportunity to showcase her vocal ability. Rock and roll vulgarity returns full force with "Bitch Boys" which is silly fun. The verses of "Teardrop Tattoo" sound like they were lifted from "A Teenager in Love" by Dion and the Belmonts and the ooh-wee-oohs in the break are straight doo-wop. Meek sings about being threatened with murder by a jealous boyfriend although she seems surprisingly okay with it, even describing it as "true romance." "Young and Dumb" sounds like Lesley Gore crossed with Motown. As you can probably guess from the title it is another tale of ill-fated teenage love. The album concludes with "Underwater Ballet" which is about a guy drowning himself in the ocean for love who changes his mind a little too late. It is a driving, pounding song with a thick sound that reminds me of Best Coast. I love 1960s pop, Motown and girl groups so I have no problem with Neverever's derivative sound, I just wish the songs were more memorable. I enjoy all of them while I'm listening but very few of them stick with me after the record is over. "Now" is easily the best song on the album and they didn't write it. I do appreciate the cleverness of the lyrics and Meek's singing is very appealing which is reason enough for me to give the album an occasional spin. Recommended to fans of the Pipettes.
