Trust me, the name is misleading.
What’s Your Rupture, 2012
7.8 / 10.0
Royal Headache’s self-titled album, released last year but is just now getting a stateside release, is a weird little beast—though it is a rock album, its scant length (26 minutes, with the longest song barely breaking 2:40) and quick pace suggest heavy punk influences. Oh, and lead singer Shogun actually sings, and is pretty damn good at it, too. With so many disparate elements working against each other, this should, by all rights, be a disaster. Ever have chocolate Cheerios? I did once, and only once.
To be fair, this album could have been so much better had some elements been toned down—Shogun has to take his opportunities to shine, and the band’s technical capabilities are hard to admire and absorb in such brief bursts. For the most part, though, the combination makes for unique music that is hard to hate. Royal Headache are at their best during their brief ballads, such as late highlight “Honey Joy”, but part of me is afraid these guys are going to read this review and ruin their whole act by listening to me. This is punk-rock for folks who aren’t into punk-rock, though fans of the genre will find plenty to love here.
