A friend introduced me to the music of Freehold, NJ’s The New Royalty, and I got to say that this female-fronted band has really tickled my fancy. Singer Bree Iafelice had incredible range in her vocals and amazing stage presence that can put her line with some of the top frontwomen in the rock business like Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) or Hayley Williams (Paramore). I was able to the hear songs “Here I Go,” “A Step Outside Of Time” and “Alive,” and these were some of the best songs that I’ve heard in quite a while from a local band. I even got a chance to watch a live video for their song “Tell Me,” in which they performed in front of thousands of people when they opened for Big Time Rush, and I have to say that these kids have what it takes to make it to the next level. They even performed at this year’s Bamboozle Festival. I have to say that there’s definitely something “big” about this band.
The New Royalty are five youngsters from Central Jersey who formed in 2008 originally as a cover band. They were actually put together in the studios of a School Of Rock-type music school, where they honed in on their skills learning and playing cover songs. According to their bio, they began writing their own music full of powerful, catchy melodies with some meaningful lyrics only a couple of years ago. Their songwriting prowess and energetic live performances earned the band a slot on the Vans Warped Tour, which helped them win the hearts of many new fans and promoters. In 2011, The New Royalty won the Break Contest and performed at their first Bamboozle Festival. In 2010 and 2011, they finished in the top five from my old radio station, Z100’s Jingleball Hometown Hero competition, which is an amazing feat for a local band. I’m telling you, these kids are on their way! Joining Bree is guitarist Trevor Smith, her brother and guitarist Nick Iafelice, bassist Kyle Davis, and drummer Ricky Joyce.
The New Royalty released their debut CD, When Poets Dream, by way of Leader Records International back in December down in both Argentina and Chile. Their single “Here I Go” was put on top 40 radio stations down there and the track’s music video is in regular rotation on VH1 and MTV in those areas. The New Royalty are huge south of the equator; let’s make them big up here! Check them out now at thenewroyaltymusic.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My boys The Compulsions recently released a greatest hits CD titled The Bad Ol’ Daze: Baddest Hits 2002-2009 for a very limited time only. It was a hard copy CD compilation featuring 11 of The Compulsions’ deepest, darkest, most dangerous tracks from their critically acclaimed EPs—2003’s Laughter From Below, 2008’s Demon Love and 2009’s Been Through Hell. The Bad Ol’ Daze was available exclusively only on ReverbNation for just $12.99. Unfortunately, your chance to buy the limited disc has come and gone, and the only reason you’re finding out about it now is because singer Rob Carlyle likes to send me emails about this stuff when it’s too late. Check out The Compulsions on reverbnation.com/thecompulsions
The guys from Sanitarius recently emailed me a new track called “Eternal” for my listening pleasure, and I thought the song rocked! The track was produced BioHazard’s Billy Graziadei and might be the band’s heaviest piece of music to date. Check the song out now on soundcloud.com/sanitariusnyc/eternal. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed if you like music hard and heavy!
And finally, a couple shows that should not be missed this week include my bros from Panzie* opening for Thrill Kill Kult at the Gramercy Theatre tonight (10/17). Tomorrow night (10/18), my bros from Killcode will be headlining Webster Hall for ReverbNation as part of the CMJ Convention Showcase. These are two of the better bands this Tri-State Area has to offer, so try to check these shows out! For more info on either of these two shows, log onto reverbnation.com/panzie and facebook.com/killcodeofficial.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
10/17—Thrill Kill Kult/Panzie*–Gramercy Theater, NYC
10/17—Steve Brown and Terry Farley—Valley Stables, Oakland, NJ
10/18—Killcode—Webster Hall, NYC
10/18—Thanatotic Desire/Stabbing Eden/Abraxas—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/18—Steve Brown and Terry Farley—Thatcher McGhee’s, Denville, NJ
10/19—Steve Brown and the Fallout—Willie McBride’s, Branchburgh, NJ
10/20—Mother—Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
10/20—Borgo Pass—Whoville Bar and Grill, Bethpage, NY
10/20—Steve Brown and Dennis Zimmer—The Sand Bar, Brielle, NJ
10/20—The Bangs—The Wonder Bar, Asbury Park, NJ
10/20—Station/The Mike Bino Project/Brand Of Juliez/Cookiehead—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/21—My Iron Heart/Sever The King/End Of Terra/Dead Throne/Transcends/Weighed In Balance—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/25—Fever Vein/Bloodwork/Firehaze/blkVampires—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/26—BoundAlive/Judge The Fallen/Scars Of Envy/Welcome Burden—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/27—Lower The Veil/Nuclear Winter/Sick Mind/Metathorax/Ashes Of Amber—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
10/28—Ours—Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
10/31—Steve Brown—Willie McBride’s, Branchburgh, NJ
11/1—Of Earth—Spike Hill, Brooklyn, NY
11/1—Seas Of Wake/Beyond Visable/Beyond Dishonor/Gyre—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/2—InDisguise—The Cup Complex, Linden, NJ
11/3—Scarlet Carson/Mother—Village Pub, Lindenhurst, NY
11/3—Steve Brown and the Fallout—The Grasshopper Too, Wayne, NJ
11/10—Harry Dullys Memorial Show—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/10—Lieder—The Local 269, NYC
11/11—Straight Line Stitch/Defiler/Dead By Wednesday/PT Grimm—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/13—Dead Fish Handshake—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
