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The Eye Reviews — The Royal Oui

By Emily Craig-Evans

Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce of Vancouver’s The Royal Oui are hoping to improve the lives of some four-legged friends with their first full-length release. The delicate-sounding indie duo plans to donate 10 per cent of all proceedings from the self-titled record to the SPCA.

The gentle harmonies of Shine and Pierce’s voices make the record a suitable early morning listen for those looking to be eased into their day. The sing-songy love lyrics, which coo things like, “I will always be true to you,” and “I’ll be right behind, telling you it’s fine,” push the songs close to the teetering edge of the line between cutesy and cheesy.

Songs titled “Dirty Snow,” “Give up the Ghost,” and “Bonfire” also give the album the air of that intimate huddled-close-with-friends-on-a-beach-around-a-fire feel. The lyric and chord book available to accompany the album make that metaphor even more viable.

Shine and Pierce married in 2008 and supported each other’s solo musical endeavors for years before finally collaborating with the release of their first EP, Forecast, in 2013. In order to raise the money to go on tour, they are currently offering house shows, personally-commissioned songs, and a Royal Oui tea blend. What the two lack in musical uniqueness, they certainly make up for in approach.

Verdict: Three cute kisses out of five.

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