Jherek Bischoff: Multi-instrumentalist, helmsman of Ribbons and owner of a strange and somewhat unpronounceable first name. A man previously known more for his collaborations with other bands than his own musical endeavours, 'Royals' is an album that reveals Jhereks personal taste for well written, eclectic and thoroughly enjoyable music. Upon listening to this cd, it is clear to see that 'Royals' is a varied and ambitious collection of songs. Album opener 'All Of Us' flirts with Radiohead and Menomena in equal measures, with a lo-fi electro drumkit hammering away in the background whilst guitars roll around the ears. Subtle harmonies and strings compliment the general ambient feel of this song. The next track 'The Last and Least Likely', starts out epic (a James Bond theme in waiting), all orchestral and powerful, before winding down to a gentle guitar and vocal outro. 'All We Know' possesses a beautiful 80's sounding synth line, while 'Children's Song' sounds more like 70's guitar based prog, updated with Jhereks haunting vocals. 'Automatism' is a great example of how a mostly instrumental piece should be written, with initial vocal sweeps being replaced with pizzicato refrains and muted percussion. The possible reference to one of Jhereks previous musical haunts (Xiu Xiu), entitled 'Miu Miu' has a definite far east influence, although it does sound a little too close to 'Automatism' structure wise to really draw too much attention to it as an individual composition when listened through in order. Ribbons penchant for strings extends through 'Tongue Tied', which is an album highlight, with female/male vocals  used not to overpower, but to compliment the song which on the whole is a sublime slice of eclectic electronica. Silver Locket is mystical and dreamlike if slightly forgettable, and album closer 'All I Was', aside from exhibiting Ribbons' affinity for the word 'all', is such a strong song that it should really have taken its rightful place earlier on in the album. Criticising an album like 'Royals' is near impossible, and not just because of its quality. You could potentially level the point that some tracks are quite bland and that they lack substance or a clear direction (The Last And Least Likely) in particular starting strong but tailing off slowly for not much reason. But upon further listens it becomes much easier to accept the alternative structures, the lack of clear chorus or verse, and the heavy reliance on instrumental sections. Another criticism is the flooding of the album with layers upon layers of strings, harmonies and heavily treated drums, which must make on stage performance quite different to actual album playback, unless a string quartet is employed. However, Ribbons DOES occasionally employ a string quartet live to add depth, and regardless, to remove everything that might be unfeasible live would also remove a large amount of emotion and passion from the songs. 'Royals' is very much an album to be listened to, not a reference point for a live show. To label Ribbons as a 'band' however would not be entirely accurate. It's very much a concentrated vision from Jherek, and perhaps if he had chosen to flaunt his heritage and portfolio by naming his solo project after himself, he may have a stronger foothold with the fans of Xiu Xiu, Parenthetical Girls etc who may not necessarily have linked Ribbons to the man himself. Naming choices aside, Royals is a very strong debut album. It isn't the perfect album for the mass pop-fodder populous, but it will most definitely appeal to many people who like their music slightly left of centre. 80%Ribbons On Myspace