The Royal Oui
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The Royal Oui

Vancouver, Washington, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | INDIE

Vancouver, Washington, United States | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2013
Duo Alternative Americana

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"The Uniter"

Vancouver husband and wife duo Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce have created 11 glorious tracks of baroque pop-infused goodness that blend acoustic guitars with rainstorms and haunting boy-girl harmonies, all while making it seem new and natural. “True” is a delicate ‘90s number that could play over the end credits to Reality Bites 2, while opener “Sirensong” gets diverse and cohesive all at once. With mostly gentle, walk-in-the-rain-while-you-pine inflection, each singer never leaves the other hanging, though at times Pierce’s vocals pop a little more, as on “Montauk (This is the End)”. “Heart Safe” and “The Real Thing” are equal parts precious and sincere, poppy and petite, while “I’ll Meet You” is pensive and powerful. Definitely for fans of Belle and Sebastian that are keen to fall in love all over again. - The Uniter


"Absolute Punk"

This one’s for the underdog.

The Royal Oui are a Vancouver duo comprised of Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce, two artists who have recorded music for years independently, before teaming up and releasing this unsuspecting and somewhat terrific debut LP.

Much of the disc is spartan, lo-fi and draws strength from Shine and Pierce’s understated albeit compelling harmonies. Whether its the gorgeous “True,” or the spellbinding “When You Lose Your Mind,” the disc’s first half has a lot to offer. The problem however is that the album suffers from a lack of sturdiness. While “True” and “When You Lose Your Mind” are surefire winners, “Dirty Snow” and “Sirensong” fall asunder due to poor production and a lack of execution. In more capable hands, the songs might have been winners, but nothing about them does anything to separate The Royal Oui from the pack.

Thankfully, there are always two sides to an album. On the stronger back half, the duo shines on “Don’t You Think That I” and “Give Up the Ghost.” A bare-bones and delicate arrangement helps make “Bonfire” the duo’s most vulnerable, human and empathetic song, while album closer “Montauk (This is the End)” is arguably the disc’s most complete, most layered and most rewarding listen.

Perhaps what makes The Royal Oui such a rewarding listen is that in a music scene littered with machinated beats, Auto-Tune, narcissism and shallow songwriting, this Vancouver duo hits at something very real, very tender and deeply sincere. Not only that, the duo, who are documented lovers, actually sing like two people in love. When they sing about saving each other and helping each out along the way, you actually feel that connection. Once upon a time music had that kind of power, thankfully in the case of The Royal Oui, it still does. And for that, the music world owes them a great debt. - Absolute Punk


"No Depression"

Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce, the compatible couple that make up the cleverly bannered duo, The Royal Oui, sing with a a harmony and synchronicity that belies the fact that this is their first effort together. Shine in particular is known for his ongoing series of solo albums, but here, paired with Pierce, he seems to have found his natural environs. Both cheery and sublime, this perky duo make music of a harmonious variety, lithe and lovely on tracks like “True” and “When You Lose Your Mind,” shimmery and filled with folk finesse on such songs as “Dirty Snow” and “Heart Safe.” It’s a modest effort at best, but also one that clearly demonstrates that occasionally, more is less. Voices and acoustic guitar are the sole elements in the mix, and if the combination comes across as a bit dainty and precious at times, it’s the product of a soothing sound tailor- made for more intimate environs, like a Sunday morning sleep-in or a cuddly moment that blends heart and hearth. We’ll look forward to more. - No Depression


"Local musicians share their sounds of Christmas"

Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce make up the Royal Oui, whose debut EP, Forecast, walks a dreamy line between soft-jangle pop and languid country-noir.

Favourite Christmas song: (Adrienne) “I am a big fan of holiday music and love everything from Boney M to Elvis, but my favorite Christmas song is ‘Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth’ as performed by David Bowie and Bing Crosby. This unexpected collaboration be­tween Bowie and Mr. White Christmas is really beautiful. Apparently, it almost didn’t happen, as David didn’t want to sing it, so they wrote a new part for him and he agreed at the last minute.”

Best gift ever: (Ari) “As a kid, books were my favourite present and that hasn’t changed. For this Jewish musician, the rock biography has always topped my wish list during the holidays. I have received books by Sting, Dave Mustaine, Joe Jackson, and countless others. This year, I hope to find the new Morrissey autobiography under the tree. The famously cranky singer apparently insisted it be published on the Penguin Classics imprint, which makes me love him even more.” - The Georgia Straight


"Ground Control Review"

For those who are unfamiliar with The Royal Oui – have never heard the band's music, don't know anything about them – reading someone make comparisons between the band and such venerable songwriting duos as Richard and Linda Thompson or Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks might seem a little unbelievable. Like, really – comparisons to such institutions are the sort made by rank amateurs because they're the biggest names everyone knows and they're easy to drop – right? Nobody ever lives up to those comparisons; the Thompsons were magic and Buckingham/Nicks had something which was perfectly incomparable – nobody really comes close to that.

Well, no one gets it right anyway, or no one has – but the reason no one has ever come close is because they knew what they were trying for; they were trying to sculpt magic into a similar form. The reason The Royal Oui are able to believably conjure up comparisons to the Thompsons and Nicks/Buckingham is because husband-and-wife duo Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce both compliment and feed off of each other's energy. On their self-titled debut album, The Royal Oui effortlessly presents love and conflict in their songwriting because it is a part of who they are as a team; it wouldn't be the same at all if they weren't together and the efforts of these songwriters as individuals probably wouldn't be as good, but they rule the world together for the thirty-eight minutes it takes to play through this album.

The magic in Shine and Pierce as a pair is apparent the second “Siren Song” opens The Royal Oui. There, over dreamy atmospherics and with a working class acoustic guitar supplying the rhythm and kinetic energy of the song, the singers echo each other very closely as they confess that they both knew what they felt that first night was love at first sight (“I saw you coming, I saw you first/ I heard the rumors so I assumed the worst/ I heard you singin', I heard your voice/ I had no power, I had no choice”) and capture every listeners' heart as they do it. There is no question or misgiving, “Siren Song” is just the perfect gateway which can hold willing listeners' hearts, dearly.

The form first presented in “Siren Song” (tight dual harmonies, carefully arranged atmospherics all driven by acoustic guitar) becomes the norm as the record progresses, but listeners will find that the continued utilization of the same songwriting paradigm in each of The Royal Oui's eleven tracks renews their devotion rather than exhausting it. Particular standouts like “When You Lose Your Mind,” “I'll Meet You,” “The Real Thing” and “Give Up The Ghost” all bounce back and forth between airs of devotion and betrayal – often a couple of times within one song – but never hold fast to either. Listeners are made to feel that the love between Peirce and Shine is an inviting game which it's fun to watch play out; there are no real winners or losers because the game starts perfectly fresh with the beginning of each song, and the verbal sparring which happens along the way is largely for show and seldom if ever cruel.

By the time “Montauk” walks in proudly (but not loudly) to close the album out, listeners will find they're unable to do anything other than sit dreamily as they watch the song move along (the words “This is the end for you and me” have never reverberated so powerfully in a listener's bone marrow as they do here). By then, the sweet nothings that the band has whispered will have taken hold – listeners will have fallen in love with The Royal Oui. Those who run front to back with the album will have no doubt that they've been hooked. As solid an endorsement as that might be though, it could also serve as a warning: If you have enough loves in your life, dear reader, do not pick up The Royal Oui. If you aren't ready to become a fan and don't want to feel compelled to tell all your friends about this album, do not listen to it even once because that is the sort of thing this album will move listeners to do. Just as the Thompsons and Buckingham/Nicks did before them, The Royal Oui is able to make listeners feel true love – the better side of the condition as well as the worse and everything in between – and the final feeling is one of elation. - Ground Control


"The Royal Oui Announce Debut Album"

By Alex Hudson
Earlier this year, Vancouver's the Royal Oui signed with File Under: Music and released a 7-inch, promising that a full-length would follow in the new year. Sure enough, the husband-and-wife duo of Adrienne Pierce and Ari Shine have announced the impending arrival of their self-titled debut album, which will drop on February 11.

The 11 songs that make up The Royal Oui were self-produced. A press release refers to the style as "psychedelic folk," and promises sounds that range from "playfully endearing" to "delicate and minimalistic."

See the cover artwork above and the tracklist below. As you'll notice, recent single "When You Lose Your Mind" re-emerges here. That song is embedded at the bottom of the page, along with a newly unveiled soft acoustic cut called "True."

Also below, see the outfit's upcoming tour schedule. It includes a few shows in British Columbia.
- Exclaim.ca


"The Royal Oui Show Us Their Tears"

“‘True’ is all about the things you can count on to change and the things that will remain static,” they told The Vinyl District. “Nature, and our daily walks with our dog, and human nature, equally influenced the writing of this song. The second verse with its references to guns was written after the Sandy Hook elementary school tragedy.”


Even though they have been writing together for years, the Vancouver couple have both had wonderful success individually. Shine won the co-winner of the John Lennon Song of the Year Award and received glowing reviews and Grammy buzz for his solo album, Songs of Solomon. And Pierce is a well known across the west coast and her songs have been exposed to millions through television placements on Grey’s Anatomy and inclusion on the Veronica Mars soundtrack - Tri State Indie


"The Royal Oui - When You Lose Your Mind"

Husband and wife duo Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce are in my opinion a supremely understated act, The Royal Oui is not their first time performing together but it’s their first official band moniker and I must express, I find them to be refreshingly humble and soothing in their sound. Their featured track, When You Lose Your Mind from their EP: Forecast, has one of the most beautiful opening lyrics I’ve ever come across:

WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR MIND, I WILL LEND YOU MINE
This gem of a lyrical line gets repeated at the end of the song with Ari vocalizing the words and Adrienne smoothly harmonizes over-top, and friends I kid you not, I think I can sense myself feeling dizzy with the honey sweet emotions the song evokes.

I wasn’t sure whether I should share the Soundcloud MP3 stream or the video below, so I decided both would be apt. Watch the video and listen to the recorded single as well, it’s a wonderful showcase of how talented these two actually are, great in the studio but just as good out on a beach as well. Brilliant composition, I’m super thrilled to see what the L.A. duo produces next! - Vanscene


"The Vinyl District Premieres "True""

“‘True’ is all about the things you can count on to change and the things that will remain static.”

Nature, and our daily walks with our dog, and human nature, equally influenced the writing of this song. The second verse with its references to guns was written after the Sandy Hook elementary school tragedy.


When it came to laying the song down we knew that resonator guitar was the right sound for the track and built the recording around its warmth and presence.

‘True’ reminds us of the ’70s folk and singer/songwriter vinyl we grew up on.”
—Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce

We’re delighted to premiere “True,” the first single from The Royal Oui’s self-titled, full-length debut which will land on store shelves on February 11, 2014.
- The Vinyl District


"A Gentle Musing From a Talented Couple"

“‘True’ is all about the things you can count on to change and the things that will remain static,” states the husband and wife duo, Royal Oui about their first single. In a shared vision between two lovers, the couple rehashes what it took to get where they stand now in this bare confessional but is steadfast in avoiding straying into sappy-love-song territory. Have a listen to the track stream below.

Royal Oui’s debut self-titled LP is out February 11 via File Under: Music.
- Impose Magazine


"Introducing The Royal Oui Featuring Acclaimed Songwriters Adrienne Pierce and Ari Shine"

DEBUT 7” ‘FORECAST’ AVAILABLE OCTOBER 8, 2013 VIA FILE UNDER: MUSIC
LISTEN TO LEAD SINGLE “WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR MIND”. BAND ANNOUNCE CANADIAN TOUR DATES THIS FALL
“Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce have been recording music for years, working separately as solo artists before carving out The Royal Oui’s hazy, swooning sound together… The EP is called Forecast. And things are looking bright.” – American Songwriter
(September 4, 2013 – Toronto, ON) The Royal Oui could be the soundtrack to a Wes Anderson love story starring Jason Schwartzman and Michelle Williams. Quirky, slightly whimsical, with beautifully arranged harmonies, The Royal Oui craft songs with warmth and honesty, sharing their engaging perspective on love and life.
Comprised of Vancouver-based husband-and-wife duo Adrienne Pierce and Ari Shine, The Royal Oui will release their debut EP Forecast digitally and as a limited edition 7” on October 8, 2013 through File Under: Music (Bend Sinister, Kathryn Calder, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings) in Canada. The 2-song EP which features the playfully endearing single “When you Lose Your Mind” and beat-driven ethereal pop track “Actual Size”, serves as a teaser for the duo’s forthcoming full-length debut, which is slated for release in early 2014. To listen to the lead single “When You Lose Your Mind” click play below - - With Guitars


"Vancouver’s Husband and Wife Duo,The Royal Oui, to Release Debut EP October 8th"

We’ve seen family acts like the Jackson Five, the Bee Gees, and more recently, Kings of Leon but groups consisting of a married couple are much less common. The Royal Oui is a husband and wife duo, comprised of Adrienne Pierce and Ari Shine. Each is well-known in their own right; Ari is a Grammy Award nominee and has toured with Foo Fighters’ guitarist, Chris Shifflet. Veronica Mars fans may recognize Pierce’s song “Lost and Found” from the show’s soundtrack. It’s been on my iPod for years and if you haven’t heard of it already, I highly recommend it.
Apart, Adrienne and Ari are skilled singer/songwriters but together, they make intimate tracks not only about love, but of their own relationship.
The Royal Oui is set to release a debut two-track EP, Forecast, on October 8th through File Under: Music. The EP will be available digitally or as a limited edition 7” LP. Check out the first single, “When You Lose Your Mind” here.
- The Velvet Rope


"NEW SONG: The Royal Oui - "When You Lose Your Mind" (from Forecast EP, out in Oct.)"


The Royal Oui is a Vancouver-based duo playing a style of folk that features acoustic guitar with reverb, minimal percussion and some spectacular vocal harmonies. Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce have recorded individually for some time, and together as the Royal Oui since a little while after they married in 2008. This is really beautiful stuff - her high, light vocal and his understated style mesh well together, and based on this song, they create a highly evocative sound behind the vocals. Here's "When You Lose Your Mind": - When You Motor Away Blog


"Vancouver's the Royal Oui Sign with File Under: Music for New 7-Inch and Debut Album"

Vancouver indie label File Under: Music has previously brought us albums from the likes of Dan Mangan, Kathryn Calder, and Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, and now the company has announced its latest signing. Local pair the Royal Oui will drop their debut 7-inch, Forecast, on October 8.

The Royal Oui is made up of the husband-and-wife duo of Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce, each of whom has had extensive experience as solo performers. They married in 2008 and have been collaborating for even longer, but this marks their first joint project.

Forecast features the soft and folksy "When You Lose Your Mind" on the A-side and the beat-driven "Actual Size" on the B-side. The A-side is streaming below.

In a statement, Shine explained, "We started writing the song during a spell in New York before heading back to the west coast. The verses were written in the oppressive heat of an east coast summer and the chorus was finished during a spring downpour in Vancouver. The song is a little reminder to us that tough times pass and everything changes. It's almost an ode to teamwork and the reciprocal nature of relationships."

This single serves as a teaser for the band's upcoming full-length debut, which is slated to arrive in February. Expect them to tour the U.S. this fall. - Exclaim.ca


"Rolling Stone Daily Download"

Artist: The Royal Oui
Song: "Actual Size"
Album: Forecast EP

"'Actual Size' started out as a moody little acoustic number but it quickly took on a life of its own," Adrienne Pierce tells Rolling Stone. "The beats are actually created by banging on the guitar, and the asymmetrical rhythm makes us feel like we are in a game of double dutch."

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/actual-size-by-the-royal-oui-free-mp3-20130919#ixzz2ffMiveLQ
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook - Rolling Stone.com


"American Songwriter Song Premiere"

Earlier this week, The Royal Oui put the finishing touches on their new EP. It’ll be the duo’s first release, but bandmates (and lovebirds) Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce have been recording music for years, working separately as solo artists before carving out The Royal Oui’s hazy, swooning sound together.

The two trade harmonies over arpeggiated guitar and sporadic percussion on “When You Lose Your Mind,” the EP’s lead single.

“We have a running joke that only one of us can lose our mind at any given time,” says Shine. “We take turns and alternate between being the crazy one and the calming influence. We started writing ‘When You Lose Your Mind’ during a spell in New York before heading back to the West Coast. The verses were written in the oppressive heat of an east coast summer, and the chorus was finished during a Spring downpour in Vancouver, BC. The song is a little reminder to us that tough times pass and everything changes. It’s almost like an ode to teamwork and the reciprocal nature of relationships.”

The EP is called Forecast. And things are looking bright. - American Songwriter


Discography

Forecast EP (FU:M, 2013)
Self Titled (FU:M, 2014)

Photos

Bio

The Royal Oui are not afraid to get their hands dirty.  The husband and wife duo of Ari Shine and Adrienne Pierce have cultivated grassroots fan bases through word of mouth and extensive touring across several continents, as well as exposure through film and television. The fruits of their labour are abundant. Ari was the co-winner of the John Lennon Song of the Year award (with Gaby Moreno - 2006), a Grammy shortlister for Americana album of the year (2012), and handpicked tour mate of Chris Shifflet (Foo Fighters)Adrienne came into renown as the West Coast songstress who toured with the likes of Jane Siberry and Damien Rice, while having her songs exposed to millions through TV (Grey's Anatomy), soundtrack albums (Veronica Mars), and commercial (FIAT) placements. 

While these accomplishments stem from their solo work, they have really been an undercover duo since 2008.  They constantly contributed to each other's projects live and in the studio and although it took a while they started realizing that certain songs werent for Ari or for Adrienne but for another thing.  These new ideas started to germinate and would bloom into The Royal Oui. 
 

As The Royal Oui, the Vancouver duo fully embraced their DIY ethos. They wrote, performed, recorded, and mixed their debut, the Forecast EP on File Under:Music, whose single "When You Lose Your Mind" planted them on the label's roster. Even with label support they continued to self record their full length, developed a surrealist video projection to accompany their live performance, booked a twenty date tour through Canada and the US, and hit the road together. 

Having sewn the seeds it's now time to pour on the songs with a full length self-titled release February 11, 2014 on File Under:Music. On the first single "True" the couple sing, "And you'll say that it's easy to say but believe me it's not," and yet over the eleven songs of The Royal Oui the duo find the words, harmonies, and textures to charm us through the good, difficult, and the changing times that go into growing a relationship. Siren Song leads you into the album like it was an inevitability.  Dirty Snow turns Let It Snow on its head, reflecting on the wintery aftermath of hurricane Sandy. The entirety of The Royal Oui is fresh yet familiar songs delivered in a voice that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Unintentional yet inevitable as rainy and sunny days, The Royal Oui may be the result of Adrienne and Ari's determination and raw talent, but as of February 11th it's everyone's to share.

Band Members