REVIEW: PALAYE ROYALE – THE BASTARDS (2020)

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Palaye Royale hail from Las Vegas. I guess you can be whatever you want to be in Las Vegas. It holds a mysticism, a kind of living embodiment of the American Dream. I went there once, for a wedding, whatever the word “incredible” means to you, it was.

That, in the context of “The Bastards” means two things. First it means that if the brothers Kropp want to create a world where the record: “Takes place around the island of Obsidian and it’s set in 1888. In short, it’s a world that started off with intentions where the island encouraged free thinkers and artists to exist and, as everything does in life, eventually it becomes this political power and evil toxicity that comes with everything. To remain a true individual in the society, you must wear a gas mask.” They can.

For the second thing, look again the title. “The Bastards”. These are the outsiders, they aren’t the high-rollers at The MGM Grand, or The Bellagio, winning millions betting it all on red. They are the ones who are left behind.

Now, regular readers might know this, but, I read concepts and I go: “ok yeah, songs brother. Are they any good?” The answer to that is hell yes.

Modern, arty and without giving a shit about rules, “Little Bastards” is at turns brash, fragile and so catchy they make it wear a mask at Tescos, but this is a band with a message. Many messages, sometimes contradictory, but never does it come together better than on the stunning “Massacre, The New American Dream”. Remington Leith (one of the three siblings in the band) doesn’t even bother to hide his rage: “I’ve given up on America’s racist agenda,” he spits, and whilst you’d struggle to call this punk rock, it doesn’t half channel the energy.

He thunders here about prescription drugs – a theme that occurs frequently – elsewhere the words are so raw, so full of pain that its uncomfortable to listen to the throb of “Anxiety”: “I was raised to be, fucking me, I am a masterpiece” he says here (you can’t really call it singing) but the words are hollow, bravado, because the modern crunch of “Tonight Is The Night I Die”, a kind of electro rock ballad, seems to be much more where the collective heads are.

“The Bastards” is so much more diverse and a massive leap forward from their other two records, and the dark sounds of “Lonely” are a case in point. About the personal struggles of adolescence (“daydreaming of my funeral, who would go? I’ll bet no one would show”) and anti-depressants, it is harrowing. There is a real skill in this, though.

Written in AirBnB’s in London and The Joshua Tree, the pop side of the record is best exemplified by “Hang On To Yourself” a slice of hope, with a power pop guitar hook from Sebastian Danzig, and the post-punk stylings of “Fucking with My Head” show the real nuances of what they do – and you can imagine a room full of the converted bouncing to this.

But look anywhere here and you’ll find something interesting. The synth driven swagger of “Nervous Breakdown”, the confusion that seems to run through “Nightmares”, but the glam fizz that seems to say “you know what, its all going to be alright….”

This is heavier than their other work and for proof look at the barely concealed anger of “Masochist” which bursts into action, or the genuine Sabbath like riff of the appropriately named “Doom (Empty)”, which they balance out with, the stomping “Black Sheep”.

Crossover potential is a phrase that people trot out, but it really matters here, because Palaye Royale can comfortably fit in anywhere because they fit in nowhere, a fact they underline with the nihilistic “Stay” and “Redeemer”, which harbours suicidal thoughts before it matter of factly states: “Well I try, not to think about my life, so I do another line, it keeps me numb just for the night”. You can only hope writing these words is cathartic.

Which is why this is a record that seems to represent more than most, too.  Not only is “The Bastards” bloody good, Palaye Royale have got a whole army that love them. Early in the year they toured the UK. A load of the shows got pulled, because of the insistence of the band that they were going to play “their” show. That means no barriers, band and crowd as one. The show nearest me got pulled, and they ended up at a venue owned by KK Downing. All tickets on the door, none in advance. I was going to go and check them out, because I like outsiders, and I like the punk rock spirit. By 5pm there was so many people waiting outside they put the sold out signs up. I am friendly with a couple of staff there and one told me he had never seen energy like it.

I know people who get to a certain age, lets call it and stop listening to new bands. This is why you shouldn’t. Palaye Royale are one of the most original groups around. Even if their struggles aren’t my struggles, the authenticity of the anger shines through, so does the passion and the skill. “The Bastards” is an anthem for anyone who needs one.

Rating 9/10

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