Royal Holland got tired of people not knowing or seemingly not caring about music from amazing musicians who don't have the marketing power to make you want to get their music. Often times, the music being posted is free, it only costs a small amount of your time, and could change the way you look at creativity. Support the ones close to you and they will sprout wings.  Royal Recommends is a way to showcase these bands. 

The Minni-Thins
The Minni-Thins are not going to appear on The Voice. Lead singer and one of the masterminds behind The Minni-Thins Jeremiah Scott Strickland, would frighten everyone on the show with his wild and un-refined vocal style. Miley Cyrus might love it, but only behind the scenes, and the front facing status quo of vanilla pop singers being churned out left and right, to appease the unchallenged masses would peacefully continue.  

The Minni-Thins, aren't even really a band anymore as far as I can tell -- Its members distributed far and wide across the country, however Jeremy has assured me to the contrary. I wouldn't hold your breath for a Cincinnati Reunion show, although I could see it happening in some form or another, someday. Having said that this is the first release from the band since the wonderful In Black Cause I Asked on November 16, 2005.

All this is actually o.k. though, because as I said, we all have the power to choose. I'm not saying you should choose to listen to, buy and propagate That Old Kentucky Blackgrass but I am recommending that you do so. Step outside that comfort zone of what you're being fed and try something new. You might not even like it, but at least you will have been brave enough to find out.

This album is what Punk Rock used to be. From the intro / kind of title track “That Black Black Grass of Home (a bastardization of Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr.'s 'Green, Green Grass of Home”) The Minni-Thins, turn music on its head filling the nostalgia infused halcyon country tune with even darker imagery, and a delivery that is raw and unapologetic. 

The production on this album is going to be a bit of a barrier for most of you. It's noisy, jangling and completely honest. If you can just give it a chance though, and dig in a bit, you're going to hear some truly compelling arrangements, biting lyricism and commentary. Just give her a chance and this Black Grass might grow wild all over you. 

I really like the song “Apparent” which is track number 3. Listen to that thing HERE. Get lost in its unrelenting back beat. Scream along with the catchy chorus. Drive fast. Live free. 

Then why not send ‘em 5 bucks? Who knows, they might put out another album before 11 years passes us by yet again, and you'll be assuring that along with mega super stars on The Voice, that the little guy who are continuously slaving their asses off for the craft, are getting a little bit of what they deserve.