Congress and indie rock n’ roll. The two subjects do not mix together. But for US Royalty, an up-and-coming band, it’s a juxtaposition that describes their beginnings. Hailing from Washington DC, the four piece indie band were once public servants working in governmental jobs until they decided to give it all  up to pursue the band. According to their recent show at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco, they may have made the right decision.

The band began with the collaboration of brothers John and Paul Thornley, with John as lead vocalist and Paul on the piano and guitar. Eventually they collected Jacob Michael (bass) and Luke Adams (drums) and together US Royalty was formed.

As the supporting act for Broken Records they seemed to generate a bigger crowd than the Edinburgh band. On stage they exuded a passionate performance as they belted out favorites such as “Equestrian” and my personal favorite “Monte Carlo”, the “trotting melody” with a haunting echo and fantastic rock guitar score. Recently named Best Dressed by Esquire magazine, the band pulls of a combination of vintage, designer and classic pieces. Paul rocked a red velvet blazer, while John dressed in a polka dot vintage shirt with a Wild West inspired necklace. As their fashion sense shows a blending of many styles, their music style is no different. Labeled as being quintessentially American, their debut album “Mirrors” draws from such themes as American literature, Wild Western imagery and patriotic lyrics but also combines pop rock into the mix. From the haunting song “Equestrian” to the stripped down tracks of “ Old Flames” and “Voice Memo,” the band has been likened to many great acts such as Band of Horses. However, like any Americana record, country sounds can not be excluded from the album, hence a track evoking cowboy, tasseled imagery is perfected in the country- jive number “Give Up the Ghost.” The song has a fantastic harmonica solo, a clear homage to American country grit music but also invites pop hooks and fantastic rock chords.

From their live performance in San Francisco, it is the good- looking six-piece band’s combination of pop hooks, haunting melodies, occasional Led Zeppelin sections and an underlying tone of country grit makes this band one to watch in 2011.

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