O.N.E. opens up Royal Flush, and the track will immediately find its home with any listeners that find themselves digging alternative or traditional rock styles. Hints of Jet, AC/DC, and Cornershop can all be heard during this introductory salvo. The Jack strips things down, allowing the act to craft a blend of blues, surf, and psychedelic rock. This track opens with an extended instrumental introduction, ensuring that the vocals are highlighted when they kick in.
Royal Flush is a success based on each of the 10 tracks contained within, but I feel as if the production of the album is integral for its unqualified success. Stop This Beating of My Heart is a perfect example of this, allowing each element – vocals, piano, guitars – to succeed alone and as a whole. Completely Beyond Me is a perfect late-album track. The song allows Rosemary’s Garden to come forth with a new set of influences; listeners will be able to pull out bits of Nirvana, Mudhoney, and even the Meat Puppets before the track ends. Cmon Cmon closes Royal Flush; the act is able to let listeners down gently while still probing bold new avenues.
Royal Flush is an album that stays strong through the entirely of its runtime; Rosemary’s Garden is able to make their eclectic and unique rock style work, no matter what constellation of influences they may utilize. Make it a point to check out Rosemary’s Garden whenever they stop in a city around yours, and check out their Twitter or main website for more information about the band and any new efforts that they may release.
Top Tracks: Stop This Beating of My Heart, Queen of the Harpies
Rating: 8.7/10
Rosemary’s Garden – Royal Flush (CD) / 2012 Self / 10 Tracks / http://twitter.com/rosemarysgarden / http://www.rosemarysgardenmusic.com/
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com