I never caught the vision for Royal Tailor’s debut, Black & White, when it released a few years back. For whatever reason, I wrote them off as part of “Boy Band Wave: Round 28” and was initially indifferent to their debut. But I keep hearing about them working hard, putting on an impressive live show and making plenty of noise and I finally came around to appreciate their efforts. But I was still on the fence on if this was a band that could actually break through and really impress me.

After the first listen to their sophomore, self-titled album, my doubts were instantly crumped up and dropkicked over the fence, never to be revisited again.

This is one of the best examples I can think of, in recent memory, of a band truly realizing their full potential so quickly and releasing an album that I’ll be enjoying, start to finish, for many years to come. It’s one of the most original pop albums I’ve heard, full of heart, energy, truth and flat out fun. In fact, I found myself grinning in a few spots, so proud that our industry could actually push the bar to this level.

I remember listening to “Gravity (Pulling Heaven Down)” from their debut for the first time and checking iTunes to see if, in fact, I was still listening to their album. I swear it had leaped to an unknown Michael Jackson track, but sure enough, it was still Royal Tailor. That comparison is certainly not shied away from on the new album as there are plenty of MJ moments throughout, both vocally as well as musically as most notable through the bass lines on “Original,” one of the strongest tracks on the album.

Royal Tailor is a pop album with plenty of surprises once you get past the polished production. “Got That Fire,” “Jesus Love (f/ TobyMac)” and “Ready Set Go (f/ Capital Kings)” are the album's strongest beats that would fit in any club. “You Are My Rescue,” “Love Song,” “Give Me Faith” and “Remain” provide much of the album’s depth and even in these heavy ballads, the music is driving, pulsing and alive with lyrics that make clear the Christian values these men hold close to their hearts. The closing track, “Fight for Freedom (Let the Walls Fall)” is a “going to war” anthem that builds and releases and builds again in multiple parts, ending in a beautiful two-minute reprise that puts the band’s creative talents on full display as they explore sonically while we sit back and enjoy the end result.

Closing Thoughts:
There have been few albums that have captured my attention as strongly as Royal Tailor and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m referencing this album as one of my all-time favorites a decade from now. Well done, gentlemen!

Songs to Download:
"Original" and "Remain" 

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• Got That Fire: I've listened to this song over sixty times, and it never gets old. The "Fire" reference is the Holy Spirit, and I love the imagery there. The lyrics are empowering, and I loved every second of roaring guitar, thumping drums, and bumpin' piano. Mind you, I didn't even like rock music until this band came along. 5/5

• Jesus Love: First off, the beat to this song is really groovy. It may have to do with TobyMac's presence on the song, but "Jesus Love" sounds a lot like "Funky Jesus Music" (from his Tonight album), which I like as well. My favorite part of this song is the leadup, as the bass, lead guitar, and drums are just bouncing off each other in the background. TobyMac's rap is pretty sweet, too, but what else do I expect? 4/5

• You Are My Rescue: The lyrics to this song are a declaration of God's faithfulness to us, and I love that. The choir-sounding back vocals during the beginning verses are a nice touch. Though this song sounds closer to more of the 'mainstream' CCM out there, it still sounds like Royal Tailor. 4/5

• Original: Wow. This is one my favorite songs of the album. The "tell me" leadoff to the verse is killer, and the rest of the song just blows my mind. I can hear hints of "Jam" by Michael Jackson all throughout (plus a "Beat It"-sounding guitar solo by DJ), and as Tauren said, "This is real dance music". Either I'm hearing things, or I heard Tauren do a 'MJ' yell at 2:53. 5/5

• Love Song: At first listen, it sounds like a typical CCM song, but it really isn't. The guitar in the background as Tauren sings about love for God is a great little rhythm, and the added harmonies by Tauren change this from typical to above-average. But, the best part is Tauren's note at 2:16. It really made me love this song (the lyrics were already great), and this is now my top favorite of the album. 5/5

• Ready Set Go: I love this song because it encourages me to take action and 'go'! The constant guitar strum is rocking, and the dance beat of the chorus makes me jump up and rock out. Capital Kings came in for the bridge (can you call it that?), and the rap is spot-on. I love this group, too, and it was cool to hear them make an appearance. Overall, this song is a party blaster. 5/5

• Remain: This was actually the first God-perspective song that I really liked, and it is about His loyalty to us during tough times. I identified with the message, and love having this song on repeat. It was as if my Father was speaking right to me, and that made the song comforting. The music of "Remain" is made for an arena concert for sure, but it is also perfect for God-and-me times, too. 5/5

• Start Over: Another top song for me, "Start Over" is a good refresher song, when life is getting crazy and you're feeling lost. The bass by Blake has a great rhythm during the verses, and the chorus is amazing. It builds the song into a encouraging beat, and really boosts the impact of the rest of the song. The bridge with an early-90s (?) guitar sound is a neat touch, and I loved how it led into a simpler part of the song. It amps up again with Tauren's signature belt-out part. 5/5

• Make Me New: Almost like "Wannabe", this is Royal Tailor's second pure pop song for me. It's light, fun, and bubbly. Very dancy and sweet, the music is technopop-ish and the lyrics are simple. It's a pretty nice beat, and a favorite for the younger crowd. 5/5

• Give Me Faith: I love this song because of its message: give me faith. Sometimes, it can be difficult to just have faith, and I love the lyrics of just believing, and knowing God's got it. But, it also talks about being able to do some hard things in life with faith. The music is mainly acoustic guitar and drums with this song, but doesn't sound too cliche to me. 4/5

• Fight for Freedom (Let the Walls Fall): You really can't explain this song enough. It has so many genres within six minutes that it left me speechless. The first part sounds like a Jonathan Thulin-ish mix with the bag-pipe sounding beats in the background. I absolutely loved the chorus with everyone singing "Fight for freedom" and "Glory, glory, hallelujah", which reminded me of the men's choir in Prince of Egpyt. However, the last minute of the song lessens unexpectedly with the verse by a little boy, and sounds just like an Israel and New Breed song. The whole thing had me loving every single second, and this bonus song is truly a 'bonus'. 5/5

This album is great in all respects. My favorites on the album are Got That Fire, Jesus Love, Making Me New, and Love Song. All of the songs are great too. The last song on the album, Fight For Freedom, is more of an anthem than a song. It's great. 

I was looking forward to this album for weeks, and it was well worth the wait. For all of those Winter Jam 2013 fans who want more, this is your album.