Palaye Royale

Equal parts brit-pop, glam rock and art-punk, Palaye Royale has amassed almost a billion streams throughout their career and earned a legion of cult-like fans with their fast-paced dirty rock’n’ roll. First landing in Los Angeles as teenagers, the brothers worked their way up through the ruthless L.A. rock scene going from playing basement shows while living out of their car to headlining arenas around the world. And whether they’re taking the stage at major festivals like Reading and Leeds, Download and Pinkpop or playing to sold-out crowds in such far-flung locales as Amsterdam, Prague and Mexico City, the band’s most crucial ambition is to deepen their rarefied connection with their beloved fanbase, lovingly dubbed the Soldiers of the Royal Council.

I See Stars perfect a push-and-pull between sweeping hard rock, metallic energy, and electronic dance music on their fifth full-length album, Treehouse [Sumerian Records]. In order to achieve that often illusory balance, the Warren, MI quartet—Devin Oliver [clean & unclean vocals], Brent Allen [lead, rhythm guitar], Jeff Valentine [bass], and Andrew Oliver [vocals, keys, synths, programming, drums]—rebuilt their very foundation, creatively and personally.

“This is the most time we’ve had to create an album since 3D,” Devin admits. “We actually had time to reflect on our past, but most importantly what we want to become. Beyond the music, it felt like an evolution for us emotionally. We finally feel like the band we were meant to be. If you strip it down, it’s not just drums, guitar, bass, vocals, and minor production. The electronic aspects could be their own songs, and we aim to blend everything as seamlessly as possible.”

This methodical and meticulous approach has defined the band since day one. Their musical hybrid started to turn heads on the one-two punch of 3-D [2009] and The End of the World Party [2011]. Digital Renegade [2012] would vault them to national prominence, going Top 10 on Billboard’s Alternative Albums Chart and Top 20 on the Rock Albums Chart. In addition to boasting features from platinum-certified The Voice winner Cassadee Pope and Danny Worsnop (ex-Asking Alexandria, We Are Harlot), it cemented I See Stars as a fan favorite on tour, sharing bills with everyone from Of Mice & Men and Attila to Breathe Carolina and Black Veil Brides as well as hitting The Vans Warped Tour. Along the way, they’d grace the stage at Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! and earn acclaim from Alternative Press, Revolver, Ultimate Guitar and more. New Demons [2013] solidified their status as headliners, while the music continued to naturally evolve.

2015 saw a change occur within the group; the band parted ways with members Jimmy Gregerson [guitar] and Zach Johnson [unclean vocals, keys] amicably. Confronted with sole vocal responsibilities for the first time, Devin rose to the occasion.

 “We went into making this record mindfully,” he admits. “It’s important to deliver the live performance as close to the album as possible. I wanted to step up. I had no idea what a challenge it would be; it was like learning a different language.”

Releasing the acoustic album Phases and its subsequent tour would offer new perspective for the boys. Devin started dissecting ideas for what would become Treehouse, while diligently pushing to expand his range on the road. The group’s diehard audience would immediately prove receptive to his new role handling both styles.

“We’ve had so many changes, and it’s an important time,” he goes on. “When we got back on stage, I had no idea what to expect, but our fans came out and showed love when we needed it the most. We wanted to give them what they deserve, which is the best record possible.”

In order to achieve that vision, the musicians took a different route. To record Treehouse, they enlisted a cadre of producers including Erik Ron [Panic! at the Disco, Saosin], Nick Scott [Asking Alexandria, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!], and Taylor Larson [Periphery, Veil of Maya] as well a mixing by David Bendeth [Paramore, Breaking Benjamin]. They would also track the bulk of material in Los Angeles—another first—and the rest in Detroit.

I See Stars introduced the album with the skittering stomp and smash of “Mobbin’ Out.” Tempering an edgy groove with an undeniable hook, it’s an irresistible and insurgent anthem.

“The song was about some of the recent struggles in the past few years,” he says.

The shimmering “Calm Snow” begins the record with an entrancing cinematic crescendo juxtaposing keys and striking vocals. Elsewhere, “Everyone’s Safe in the Treehouse,” mixed by Bendeth, showcases the marked progression as each element shines and culminates on an arena-size chant.

 “Lyrically, this one discusses family issues,” continues Devin. “The past year has been really hard. I realized I’m on my own, and it’s do or die with this band. It’s my life.”

It’s that honesty which will continue to resonate the loudest among listeners and why I See Stars shine.

“This is the most honest we could be,” Devin leaves off. “That’s what I want people to see.”

Weathers cycle through vibes at the speed of life. Text messages to cheaters, actual conversations about mental health among friends, and a shared passion for eighties and nineties nostalgia (coming-of-age comedies, in particular) turn into fodder for their undeniable and unforgettable alternative anthems spiked with pop punk spirit. The acclaimed Los Angeles trio—Cameron Boyer [vocals, guitar], Cameron Olsen [guitar] and Brennen Bates [bass]—infuse their third full-length offering, Are We Having Fun? [Sumerian Records], with gleeful unpredictability.

“It’s meant to be unpredictable,” affirms Boyer. “Since there’s a cohesive sound, you’re essentially living in the same universe, but you’re listening to a bunch of different stories. We dug into how relationships and love can fuck with your head as much as anything else can. We welcomed the changes in our lives, because it was time to evolve—which is also when you should do a new record.”

The band initially emerged back in 2015. A year later, they served up the breakthrough single “Happy Pills,” amassing over 164 million Spotify streams and counting. They parlayed this momentum into Kids in the Night [2018] and Pillows & Therapy [2021]. The latter boasted fan favorites such as “Rehab,” “Losing Blood,” and “C’est la vie,” which reeled in over 27.9 million Spotify streams and counting. Meanwhile, Billboard proclaimed, “Their message empowers through the acceptance of something we all consider flaws at some point.” Of the album, Under The Radar noted, “The band married grungy alt rock and synth-laden pop rock, embracing newly anthemic sounds as well as revisiting their ‘90s influences,” while Beyond The Stage Magazine proclaimed, “Weathers’ Pills & Therapy is the best medicine.”

Throughout 2022, they wrote and recorded what would become Are We Having Fun? with producer Jason Suwito [Sir Sly, Imagine Dragons]. They absorbed the ebbs and flows of the Post-Pandemic season in their music as they sonically nodded to classic bands like My Chemical Romance and The Killers.

“We were kids in the two-thousands, so we love over-the-top emotional tunes with a heavier sound,” Boyer goes on. “When we were making the record, we were feeling a bit of rage and sort of doomed. So we asked ourselves, ‘Is this even fun anymore? Or, are we doing this because we’re stuck?’ Since the music encompasses a lot of raw emotion, we decided to be very honest with the title.”

They initially teased the album with “Where Do I Sign?” Of the latter, The Honey Pop wrote, “Weathers aren’t shy when it comes to putting an edgy lyrical spin on things, and that’s one of the things we love about them.” On its heels, they share the single “ALL CAPS.” A snappy palm-muted riff sets the tone as the beat builds towards a confessional and catchy chorus culled directly from an exchange via SMS, “Asked me where I’m at, so I wrote back in ‘ALL CAPS’.”

Boyer continues, “It’s about going through a relationship with an unfaithful person. Then, you endure this horrible betrayal, when you find out you’re being cheated on through an outside avenue. Your significant other can’t even give you the respect to personally tell you!”

The opener “One of a Kind” pins a jarring, yet infectious refrain to a hummable groove as he croons, “I’ll drive my car off a bridge, yeah I said it again.”

“It’s a very personal song,” admits the frontman. “It details those moments when you start to spiral, you can’t stop, and you lose control. It touches on suicide, depression, being overwhelmed, and struggling with your own self-worth. Everyone has experienced it in some capacity.”

A thick bass line twists and turns through a head-nodding rhythm on the danceable “She Hates Me.” He adds, “It’s about trying to figure yourself out. Then, you accidentally fall in love with someone and focus all of your energy into the relationship. Maybe you’re ready for it, or maybe you’re not.”

“Goodbye To My Friends” nods to the 2000’s with its glassy melody and sunny guitars. “It captures how nostalgia feels,” Boyer continues. “Most of the time, nostalgia is a positive sensation followed up with, ‘Oh man, those were the good old days. I was the happiest then’. You’re saying goodbye to the best feelings.”

Are We Having Fun? closes on “Little Castaway,” which beams out a bright final word. “It’s the palate cleanser,” adds Boyer. “We were having fun, and Olsen made some references from The Great Gatsby. Who doesn’t love the 20’s and flapper girls?”

In the end, there’s even more to love about Weathers.

“We want you to walk away feeling like you were heard, and it’s okay to not be okay,” Boyer leaves off. “At the same time, we’re trying to get out of the darkness, because no one wants to be in the dark for too long. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. When you’re on the floor crying, you’re not the only one.”

“To us, Weathers is a lifestyle and a family,” Brennen concludes. “So, it’s important for the three of us to express ourselves, stick together, and support each other as well as everybody out there who supports us.”