Latest Review: Magic Lantern – High Beams

Long Beach’s Magic Lantern have finally gone and released a new sonic document after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. Eagerly anticipated by those who have been biding their time waiting for the band to get on with their uber limited cassette only and CD-R releases (their Self-Titled CD-R was limited to 30), “High Beams”, the band’s latest opus [...]

The Royal Highness tug at my 90’s hard rock heart strings

Danish “stoner rockers”, The Royal Highness, hit Los Angeles this weekend. And though their press release for their US shows seems to over rely on the band’s Queens of the Stone Age connection (founding members of The Royal Highness jammed together for the first time with Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider who both played and toured with QotSA on their Lullabies to Paralyze release and subsequent tour) and labels them “stoner rock” (I’m not buying that, unless they just meant the band smokes a lot of pot), I really found myself digging the tracks from their debut release, La Mancha. Instead if I had to describe The Royal Highness’ mid-nineties hard rock sound, I would call it some combination of Soundgarden, Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Rival Schools), Queens of the Stone Age, and maybe a little Aerosmith.

The Royal Highness are in Los Angeles for the next week playing some of the dirtier lesser-known rock clubs in town.

Dec. 1st @ Relax Bar
Dec. 2nd @ The Scene Bar
Dec. 4th @ Good Hurt
Dec. 6th @ On The Rox (above The Roxy)

Download “Yours To Keep” (mp3) from their debut album, La Mancha.

[audio:http://www.garageband.com/mp3/Yours_To_Keep-The_Royal_Highness.mp3?song_id=504258&ilike=1]

You can also download four more tracks from the band’s MySpace page.