Medway's Theatre Royal returned last week to release their fifth album 'Portraits'. Out via Vacilando'68 Recordings, their ebullient pop music has already won high praise from Bonehead, Lammo and John Kennedy.
With life as we know it going round in ever decreasing circles, Theatre Royal's opener 'A Marvelous Death' is a triump of the human spirit as defiance oozes from its pores. With covid making the worst comeback since Take That's tax dodge adventures, the chorus “I wont let the outside keep me in / I don't want the undertaker stealing my sins” is certain to capture hearts and minds. In the same week that Cast's debut 'All Change' turned twenty five, they have channeled it's Mersey beat bombast and drawn a Churchillian line in the sand for everyone to unite behind.
Theatre Royal have so many single contenders across all five albums, you do begin to question them. Have they been taking performance enhancing steroids? Cut them, and they'll bleed pop hooks. The forlorn tale of political homelessness of 'Together We're Alone' is a lost George Harrison classic. Angelic and infectious, it jangles with supreme perfection.
Former single 'TV Blind' is the perfect bridge from their Mersey psyche classic '...and The It Fell Out of My Head' from 2017. Summoning the lusher side of The Coral circa 'Jacqueline', it tantalises you with the threat of a Who-esque eruption but, remains joyously in realms of guitar pop. Frontman Oliver Burgess' vocals sit eloquently between early angelic Liam Gallagher and Ray Davies' wistful 'Village Green' era.
There are moments where they play with psychedelia alongside their effervescent pop. The echoing vocals on 'Count Your Blessings' and sparkling production on 'Splinter' splice in variety that lifts them above most bands. Their adventure in the studio culminates on the sexy 'Callow'. Fusing mod sensibilities with Talking Heads daring. Prepossess idea on paper, landed with aplomb.
Five albums in, they show no signs of fatigue. The hooks keep coming, even Johnny Marr must be thinking “slow down a bit lads”. They instantly forge a path to your heart, but, the key to them is the depth of meaning. Their tales of British life bring the grit and wit of the big screen to life and prove, a working class hero is still something to be.