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Kings of New
England: On the Cusp
Kings of New England may want to give the impression that they like the cold, but their music seems more appropriate for their hot-weathered native Arkansas. On their Robot Lake debut, On the Cusp, the Kings offer up thirteen tracks of the oh-so popular post-punk, jangly rock music that seems to be all the rage with the guys who wear tight blazers and the girls with the Bettie Page haircuts. You might say that Im being cynical. Except I am not. This is a very solid debut for a new band, and that is readily apparent from the get go. The guitars cut and shimmer, the vocals have a resonant yet moody feel to them, the drums sound precise and steer the songs with confidence, and the bass provides substance and warmth. Unlike most of the bands in this genre who strive to sound like Les Savy Fav, the guitars often take a foray into more technical territory, sometimes sounding resembling Hot Cross, and the occasional Iron Maiden style lick surfaces. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, the drumming, though not incredibly technical and rife with fills and other tricks, has a force to it that stands out in each song. I will admit that most of what I listen to is pretty far removed from bands like the Kings of New England, but the fact that this band stands out to me is pretty significant. It is in the more up-tempo tracks where the band is at its strongest, and they could have shortened the length of this album by cutting out some of the slower filler tracks. Nevertheless, this is a strong debut filled with tons of potential. I really look forward to hearing the bands music after they log some time on the road and focus more on up-tempo songs with great licks and melodies. In the meantime, if you want to check out a pretty great new debut, fly on up to New England and ask for an audience with the Kings.
Check Amazon, Insound and CD Universe to purchase this album. Kings of New England Official Website
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