Band: Royal Wood
Album: Ever After The Farewell
VÖ: 06.04.2018
Label: Outside Music / Bertus Musikvertrieb GmbH
Website: www.royalwood.ca
Life has a way of knocking on our door the days we least expect it. For singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Royal Wood, life knocked pretty damn hard. For in the same year he lost his father to illness, he also fell in love and got married. "I read once you can’t get wet from the word water," says Wood. "That it isn't the word that allows for the knowing to take place, but rather the experience itself that removes the veil. Life showed me first hand that I had never felt true grief before, nor did I understand love until now. It’s been a year of true paradigm shifts."
As an artist, Royal channeled these opposite emotions into his profound new album Ever After The Farewell (April 6/Outside Music). Writing and recording the majority of songs in London with co-producer Jamie Scott (known for work with Rag’n Bone Man, Ron Sexsmith, Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran) in Terry Britten’s State of the Ark studio (Terry wrote hits for Tina Turner, Lenny Kravitz, and Michael Jackson), the album is not only deeply inspired by both loss and love, but is an ode to the classic styles of both Tin Pan Alley and Laurel Canyon.
To capture the rawest possible sound, most of the songs on the album were recorded the day they were written, with Royal playing the majority of the instruments. With songs like the McCartney-esque "The Hardest Thing Of All," or the Van Morrison infused "Something About You," the record is a timeless collection of tales of love, loss, and life. While his new album stands firmly on the shoulders of giants, it is truly a Royal Wood original and will go down as one of the best of his career.
Billboard recently discussed Scott's work with Royal: “Says Scott. ‘I’m a fan of (Royal’s) music, so we’re making a few records for his new album. He’s really cool.’ If Scott’s track record is any indication, Wood should brace himself for superstardom considering Scott’s eclectic discography as a songwriter is filled to the brim with career-defining or trajectory-changing hits."
When asked about the album title and artwork, Royal said "I called the album Ever After The Farewell because I wanted the title to encompass the polar opposite emotions I felt in my life. I said farewell to my father, but I started the journey of ever after with my wife. We used the hands on the cover because they represent both my hand taking my wife's in marriage, and my father's leaving my mother's."
About Royal Wood: Since being proclaimed "Songwriter of the Year" by iTunes, Wood has continued to evolve and hone his musical craft – maintaining an unmistakable identity while uncovering and reinventing his sound. Wood has two albums that have debuted in the Top 30 in Canada, multiple JUNO nominations and a #1 added song at Hot AC radio. His songs have been heard on high profile sync placements like Grey’s Anatomy, and Private Practice.
