Saturday, March 25, 2017

Roadcase Royale - Get Loud


Roadcase Royale - Get Loud 


One gets the feeling listening to “Get Loud”, the first single from Roadcase Royale, that this is a perfect song for this moment in time. The new band, featuring the talents of vocalist Liv Warfield (Prince’s New Power Generation band) and guitarist/songwriter Nancy Wilson (Heart) brings together top shelf talent in a band that sounds much more organic and natural than assembled. There’s a glow of true inspiration burning off this material and the production captures that glow with a crispness and sense of balance that makes it an invigorating and entertaining listening experience from the outset. Joining Warfield and Wilson in the band are the touring musicians from Heart’s current incarnation – bassist Dan Rothchild, keyboard player Chris Joyner, and drummer Ben Smith. Warfield’s musical direction Ryan Waters completes the six piece on lead guitar. This unique confluence of talents produce a song that is fresh and yet distinctively recognizable; they fuse light guitar powered rock with light strands of R&B to magnificent effect. Let’s hope, side project or not, that a band this good stays together for a long time to come.  

Liv Warfield really owns this tune. Her singing prowess never relents and guides this song in such a way that it sounds like she’s been waiting to sing this song all her life. Her voice never tackles a line the same exact way twice and, instead, she responds to each music moment with artistry that’s impossible to ignore. Warfield never overshadows the arrangement and players entirely; instead, she sings as the singer in a band rather than a vocalist soloing with incidental accompaniment. The lessons she learned during her time with Prince, life, and a career since then serves “Get Loud” well and the exuberance she brings to every line makes the song’s message all the more inspiring and convincing.  

The lyrics are never preachy, never heavy handed, and make their point in direct language. “Get Loud” is about making sure the world hears your voice and it has an across the board application – this is just about resistance, it’s about asserting your identity and refusing to be anything else than who you are and what you believe. The musical backing for this is ideal. The rhythm section work allows Warfield to exert her influence over the verses and the entire band comes together for an amazing chorus. Wilson and Waters play great together – as a longtime Heart fan, this might be one of the best pairings on guitar Nancy Wilson has ever enjoyed. The aforementioned rhythm section creates a great groove for the song and, undoubtedly, it makes Wilson and Waters’ job all the more easier. This band couldn’t have asked for a better debut. Roadcase Royale is a band with legs, not some lark intended to consume time between Heart tours, and Liv Warfield deserves the moment in the spotlight that this band promises to bring her. “Get Loud” will be exactly what the band’s growing fan base will do with further singles.   


Scott Wigley

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