The Royston Club: Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars Album Review

The Royston Club have come a long way from the band that stepped into the Saith Siren pub in Wrexham for an open mic night back in 2019. It’s been an incredible journey for the band who have always been proud of their home even before Hollywood Royalty came and turned the world’s eyes on a landlocked city in North Wales.

Fast forward to 4 years, and the Welsh 4 piece have just released their debut album Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars, which graced the UK album charts at an impressive number 16 – just behind Eminem and Bob Dylan.

One month on from the album’s release and the band have played not one but two slots at Glastonbury, and are about to embark on a summer packed with festival appearances at TRNSMT, Y-Not,110 Above and Reading & Leeds, interspersed with support slots for Blossoms, Two Door Cinema Club and The Wombats. 2023 is shaping up to be a formative year for the band who will finish the year off with their biggest ever headline tour in November.

So lets get into the music that has propelled this band from Wrexham into the charts.

The album flying kicks into action, with opening track ‘The Deep End’, a high energy sure to be indie anthem. The song centers around the ideas of dissatisfaction, disillusionment and ‘aimlessly staring at the page’, these feelings of stagnation are cleverly juxtaposed with the way the song’s drum beat entices you to dance.

Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars features a range of new tracks supported by the foundations of songs which have evolved with the band on their journey. Mariana, and Mrs Narcissistic have become fan favourites and are included in the track list, helping to preserve the DNA of what makes The Royston Club within the album. Mariana and Mrs Narcissistic have an inescapable feeling of nostalgia baked within them, igniting the part deep within us all that looks back on nights out and the young dubious relationships of our early 20s with rose tinted glasses. These songs have become popular for that exact reason, they are just so relatable and will no doubt stay with the band throughout their career.

Believe it or Not carries on this theme with singer Tom Faithful belting out “I’ll be your villain, I’ll be your crutch” as the song enters the chorus, before admitting “I’d hit the bottom for you”. The song exploring the romanticism around addictively turbulent relationships.

In I’m Liar The Royston Club pair feelings of inadequacy and detachment, with an irresistible bass line and a soaring chorus, reveling in the cathartic shared experience of not feeling good enough.

Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars moves from the celebration of hedonistic youth to moments of tender emotion effortlessly. New track A Tender Curiosity lives up to its title and provides a reflective interlude in the album nestled between Missed the Boat (Jumped in the Sea) and Believe it or Not. A Tender Curiosity is an acoustic ballad with an almost whispering chorus, just perfect to create a quiet intimate moment at a live show.

The Royston Club’s Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars is everything that a debut album should be. It has the perfect balance of new and old tracks, sad and celebratory songs, and high energy and introspective moments. Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars will no doubt act as a springboard for the band to reach the new heights that they are destined for.

For tickets to catch the band on their headline tour later this year, head to: The Royston Club – Openstage (os.fan)