If there’s a band that has possibly the most energy within the CCM/pop/rock music industry currently, it’ll have to be Royal Tailor.
Entering the spotlight in 2011 with their poignant melody ‘Hold Me Together’ on their debut album Black and White, it is their self-titled second album that has quickly become a favourite album of mine, especially the song ‘Ready Set Go’. Filled with a ball-full of energy and enthusiasm, this is possibly one of the song’s that’s going to be a Royal Tailor classic in years to come. With the song having everything from grunging guitars, hip hop, rap, rock and a hint of pop, these four men have delivered a song that has appeal in both Christian and mainstream media, with the band even making 2 music videos of the song, the first debuting last year and the second just a few days ago on Ryan Seacrest’s tumblr blog (Ryan Seacrest is the host of American Idol).
The message of the song is pretty simple- as lead singer Tauren Wells encourages us with the words of how ‘…You put my life in motion, Your love makes me want to give my all, ready set go, ready set go…’, we as Christians are encouraged to show the love we have to everyone we meet. There is a sense of enthusiasm and fun, but also an equal amount of urgency as we hear this track, understanding that as followers of Christ, we are called to bear witness to what He has done, not only in our lives but in the lives of others around us. The term ‘ready, set, go’ is what is said when race car drivers are at the starting line of a race, and indeed, sharing the gospel to the world is indeed a race as well. Time on Earth is limited, and thereby, this song ought to be a catalyst to us to keep persevering and pressing on to ‘…be the hope, be the light, be the love right now, starting right now…’
Both the music videos of the song shown below are quite different from each other. The first one released in September 2013, and featured great camera work as the band and Tauren sung the melody (but with the band never appearing within the same shot as Tauren, and the camera quickly changing camera shots every second to make it seem like Tauren and the band where playing the song together). Inventive and ingenious, it was a unique approach to a video and would be (and still is) one of my favourite music videos of 2013. The second video of the song debuted a few days ago, and was shot at an American high school, where the band played in the gym and showed off their dance moves. While I knew this song was special when I listened to it last year when the album released, I didn’t know how much of an impact it would have for the second video to have debuted on Ryan Seacrest’s personal tumblr account, as well as even making a second video in the first place. While the video debuted on a mainstream site, the band didn’t try to water down their message, and my respect for the song and band are now greater than ever.
Both these videos showcase the message of the song well, and highlight the great videography and camerawork that continue to make Royal Tailor a band to be reckoned with in the future, in both the Christian and mainstream industry. Both these videos are shown below. Check them out and enjoy both the music and the visuals. Which video do you enjoy more?