Newlyweds is the first of a four album saga by Austin, Texas, USA-based duo Ishroyale. The ambitious project tells the story of Chelsea and Margaret, a couple who find themselves on two very different paths.

By Graeme Smith

Ishroyale was formed in 2011 by middle school friends Owen Holmes and Scott McRae. The pair bonded over a desire to say goodbye to convention when crafting their sound, meaning their music defies genre boundaries and pushes the envelope in terms of concepts.

The Chelsea and Margaret Saga sees the titular Chelsea travelling west to Hollywood with a bunch of reprobates while Margaret stays in their New Jersey home writing her novel in a flooding basement. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a more intriguing premise for a series of concept albums in my life, so was excited to dive head first into the warring couples’ tumultuous world.

Newlyweds opens with Tony/Tanya. It’s a lively and bouncing start yet there is something of an unsettling undercurrent running through it. Descriptive lyrics are delivered by a smooth and characterful vocals, backed by raw and edgy strings and percussion. Sitting somewhere on the folk rock spectrum, neither terms see to fully describe the sound. It’s a fascinating start.

Norma/Nora stays upbeat while stripping things back a little to give plenty of space for the vocals and their storytelling. It’s got a big and memorable finish. Betty/Bert has a cantering tempo that will have you moving along before arriving at a laidback change of pace. It’s a highlight.

Felicia/Felix gives us some nostalgia-tinged alternative country. Samuel/Samantha is wonderfully psychedelic and offbeat. Lydia/Lysette is a light and airy moment before Caleb/Clyde closes the album with a slow-building and textured indie rock farewell. It’s a vibrant finish to a chapter of a story that is far from over. I look forward to hearing how it all pans out.

You can give Newlyweds a listen below.