Royal City — Little Heart’s Ease

Little Heart’s Ease

Three Gut/Outside

Shannon Whibbs (CHARTattack)

06/08/2004 12:28pm

Each new Royal City effort sets another piece of the alt.country group’s puzzle in place, with past albums serving as the groundwork for the next to come. If Alone At The Microphone filled in the excess empty space from At Rush Hour The Cars, then Little Heart’s Ease continues this trajectory — it’s the warmest sounding Royal City album to date. This warmth has been aptly achieved without totally sacrificing the hollow, spare beauty that permeates the band’s sound.

Aaron Riches’ accessible style and his ability to master the simple-yet-evocative love song, are apparent on the full-bodied country singalong "She Will Come" and the powerful track "O Beauty." Riches continues to pen haunting lyrics with that eerily beautiful biblical bent —  no doubt enhanced by his current studies towards a PhD in theology. With Jim Guthrie’s stunning harmonies, Royal City just keeps getting better.