Emerging from sweaty basements and crowded clubs across NJ, NY, and PA, Royal Blush crashes into the record world with their debut EP, "A Ways Away. " This raw, radiant, five-song collection wears its heart on a leather sleeve. A short, testing listen at just under 16 minutes, "A Ways Away" scarcely feels like a trifle.
This EP finds a band in transit, equal parts sugar-pop euphoria and alt-rock bruiser, unapologetic in its reach for grand-scale emotions. There are standouts in the opening pair of tracks, “Cherry Cola” and “Ice Age.” “Cherry Cola” is a sugary-smart anthem, with fizzy vocals and aching nostalgia that clings to a coat lapel like cheap perfume, summer heartbreak, bottled in glass. “Ice Age” is a glacial shimmer of guitars, cool to the touch but burning underneath a slow-burn that thaws into something anthemic and alive.
Further into the record, “Go” and “Butterflies on the Grave” open with blistering tumult. In that regard, "Ice Age" trades shimmer for fire, cutting through grunge-stained distortion and emotional depth. These tracks request that you listen and feel, out loud, and in a hurry.
It’s a testament to how deftly this band toggles between vulnerability and volatility. No posing here, only power. “Royal Blush” has no fear of being afraid, sweet or loud, and is all these things simultaneously. "A Ways Away" is a declaration. Now streaming all over, this EP is an opening shot from a band with something to say and the guts to scream it and sing it in the same breath.
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