The Royal Engine Company.

On Thursday the 6th, The Royal Engine Company played at Beaner’s Central Coffeehouse in Duluth. 

The band is from Minneapolis, and my sister is good friends with them. The band is composed of three guys--Micah, Aaron, and Zak: 

This was their first performance outside of the Twin Cities, and it was their Duluth CD release. That day, a CD review was written by John Ziegler and published in the Duluth New Tribune. The review was as follows:

CD review: Royal Engine Company’s 'Original Works' draws on many musical styles

The Royal Engine Company came together in a college dorm jam session. 

Zak Stelter borrowed a banjo and was joined by Micah Patchin, and then by Micah’s cousin Aaron Bristow, as the foundations for their folk rock trio were laid.

The group retains the enthusiasm of kids just having fun making music together and blends that with the sophistication that comes from increased technical expertise.  

Bassist Bristow acknowledged of the group “there’s nowhere we can hide. There are no synths and no distortion. What our fingers are doing, that’s what’s going to come out.” By their own description, what does come out might best be imagined as “vaudevillian folk.” It’s a sound that draws on traditional folk, bluegrass, jug bands, skiffle and even the ’60s British folk sound of Pentangle and Sandy Denny.  

The REC’s new disc, “Original Works of Fiction,” begins with a little accordion-backed prologue with a barker introducing the group a la the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper.”

The acoustic guitar strums a raucous rhythm pattern opening “A Place To Call Home” in a tale of working hard and trying to get to the promised land. While the banjo clanks out volley after volley of notes that pump the tune along, there are some celestial vocal harmonies, sloshy interludes between verses, a pungent harp solo, and a blistering racehorse ending that would put even the most ardent bluegrass ensembles to shame.

Banjo lines usher in “They Are Thick As Thieves” with an ominously sinister vibe, while accordion hovers in the air providing a stylish noir shading. The REC has an almost cinematic feel for shifts in rhythm, tempo and orchestration. From the hushed quality of a single instrumental element (like a lightly picked acoustic guitar) to expansive swelling vocal harmonies, “Original Works of Fiction” sounds like it could be the backdrop to an upcoming Jim Jarmish film.  

“In Sight of a New Dawn” recalls Seals & Crofts and their gentle “Summer Breeze” ’70s style of acoustic pop-rock. The guitar’s lovely arpeggiated chordal intro gives you the feeling of majestically sitting on a cottony tuft. The text centers on the beauties of life memory and sunsets at the end of day.  

Aaron Bristow said of the Royal Engine Company “we’re noble gentlemen with a little oil and dirt on our faces. We’re artists who shovel coal.” The REC is indeed a blue-collar little trio who cover a fair degree of musical acreage and who revel in the bucolic tranquility of life at its finest. 

They come to town this weekend for the Duluth CD release of “Original Works of Fiction.” Check them out.

 My friend Derek and I met up with my sister and her friend at the show. I ended up shooting photos almost the entire time. Despite some difficulty, I managed to get some shots that I really liked.

I don’t know if you’ll be able to tell from the photos, but these three guys made use of a banjo, acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin, tambourine, high hat, bass drum, harmonica and accordion. That's right. It was rather impressive. I encourage you to check out their myspace or facebook. Their album, “Original Works of Fiction" is available on iTunes. 

Here are a few more photos from that night: