News

Rather than letting than letting a pandemic slow them down, Washington D.C. rock ‘n roll band Broke Royals used the time off to rework their system top-to-bottom. Without gigs on the calendar, they could take time to grow musically and start writing more collaboratively.  And with producer Bartees Strange as their guide, this led to the band’s third album, ‘Local Support’ (pre-order). It truly is the album they wanted to hear, without the world in mind, so anything that happens next is just icing on the cake. Today, we are already offering you one piece of that cake in the form of latest single , ‘All I Have To Show’.

"'All I Have To Show' is about starting over in the wake of generational trauma,” says vocalist/guitarist Philip Basnight. “The song combines stories from several real acquaintances of mine.  For some people the only answer in the face of abuse is to leave town and start again.  This song presents that story in a hopeful light.  Two people in love heading out on the road to escape.  At the end of the day, having each other is enough."

By the start of 2020, Broke Royals had a comfortable process. Philip Basnight (vocals, guitar), Colin Cross (drums), Taimir Gore (bass), Rebecca Silverstein (keys), and Ben Wilson (guitar) had released two full-length albums and knew how to construct a typical “Broke Royals” song. Things were going well. They were sharing stages with their musical heroes and The Washington Post had praised their second album, Saint Luxury, as “an album of pristine pop rock.”  As a live band, however, their songs sounded less pristine and more gritty. The band wanted to capture this energy and, even more, avoid slipping into autopilot.

And that’s exactly what they achieved with the help of Bartees Strange. ‘Local Support’ (out July 15 via Byrdland Records) is a rock & roll record that blends the sounds of today with those of legends such as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. Each track on the record explores themes of love, heartbreak, religion, and anxiety in the modern world.