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 Perfect Children
The Perfect Children are up next. And an introduction to the music of Kristen Kreft (a powerful woman in all respects) and The Perfect Children.
The first time I ever played music with Kristen, she was playing keys in a rag-tag band put together by good friend and musical colleague Kendall Bruns (now a Chicagoan and 1/2 along with Molly McGown of the phenomenal new-ish group Deja Vue, to play a benefit show in which you were to play a song from any number of albums whose album art was being featured in an art show at the same venue (the old Southgate House R.I.P.). I played bass for the group and we accomplished the song "Eye in the Sky" by Alan Parsons Project.
It was cool playing the tune and I knew right away that Kristen was an accomplished vocalist and musician.
Years later I would learn that she is also a phenomenal song-writer, when I would catch solo sets of her tunes at a singer-songwriter night or some such thing. This woman has seen a lot in her life and boy does it ever shine through in her songwriting. Her voice, as well is un-hewn, powerful and gritty; perfect for delivering lyrics full of heart ache, tribulation, but also the hope that comes from being a woman who has overcome many obstacles. It's got just the right amount of nasty and just the right amount of 'how in the hell does she do that'? (I've tapped Kristen to sing on my recordings before and would do so again at the drop of a hat... in fact, I bet I will soon)
Getting back to the music. Not only is Kristen's voice and song writing a force, but her band and back-up singers are always impeccable. I enjoy seeing Kristen perform solo a great deal, but get that band in there and prepare to be blown away. Listening to these recordings right now, They are great, don't get me wrong, but lack the raw emotional passion that a live performance will bring you. It's transportive to say the least. It makes you wanna shake your boot and get sweaty and not stop until you have to.
I cannot recommend seeing them live enough, but until then you're going to need to get familiar with the music, and so I just need you to go to their website.
You can stream their entire album Get Me Mine HERE and buy songs for a measly 99 cents a-piece.
If, for some reason, you only have time to listen to one song (?!?!?) then I recommend starting with “Rain Song” a jangly and harmonic and sweet tune. Don’t worry, you're gonna want to listen to the whole thing, so, just do it.
