Royal Wood - The Milkweed EP
(Sherpa)
There are plenty of people who would think this showtune-y EP is great. Royal Wood is a talented musician similar to Hawksley Workman; completely over the top, weird name, and Canadian to boot. What is it with the Canadians and the piano-laden show-tunes?
Basically, it unfolds this way: "Of Milkweed" is light and poppy with Bill Fox intonations that somehow end in drama worthy of Queen. "Chamomile" is too everything; too emotional, too much piano, too Broadway. Wood manages to regain momentum in "Freezing in Fire" although, the vocals get a little over-the-top. "Dog-Eared Day" has lovely piano and toned down singing. "Off My Sleeve" was the least interesting, but it does contain a very cool image in the lyrics, "come on and breathe the night air off my sleeve."
If you buy into Hawksley, you'll have no problem buying into this... I enjoyed it in spite of myself.
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