Nashville singer-songwriter Rutherford Royal releases his new single, “Lords & Ladies,” the second single from his forthcoming debut album. Royal is also half of the funk-pop duo Poster Child.
Talking about the song, Royal says, “You know that feeling when you finally get a free moment to think and the world is still spinning a bit, and you notice that hole – that pang you’ve been tuning out? This song is about that.”
Originally from South Carolina’s barrier islands, Rutherford Royal is the musical project of Andrew Christopher Rutherford Royal, whose sound blends elements of Southern Gothic and dark Americana into magical, beguiling music. Once he’s completed writing, he records and mixes the music in an isolated cabin, called Silver Tongue, which sits near a hidden waterfall in southern Tennessee.
The heart of Silver Tongue is the custom Neve 5465 broadcast console from 1978 which is paired with other rare vintage pieces from recording history and some of the world’s most high-fidelity converters.
“Lords & Ladies” rolls out on a mid-tempo rhythm topped by dark, gritty tones accented by luminous glimmering colors. The rhythm, made up of a plump, finessed bassline, and roomy percussion, gives the tune a delicious rumbling essence.
Royal’s soft yet creamy voice imbues the lyrics with gentle, nuanced timbres, suffusing the song with dreamy, wistful textures. There’s an undulating flow to Royal’s vocals, complementing the motion of the harmonics.
The blending of shaded alt-rock flavors with dream-pop-lite tinctures gives rise to elegantly alluring, gliding sonic surfaces.
“Lords & Ladies” offers smooth, stylish leitmotifs, an enticing rhythmic flow, and the mellow, evocative voice of Rutherford Royal.
