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Wednesday 12 October 2011

The King Blues - Punk & Poetry (2011)

The King Blues - Punk & Poetry (2011) [Transmission Records]

From the heights of "Save The World, Get the Girl", the next step, after seeing them at Rebellion 2010 before the release of this album was one of discontent. The new material it seemed lacked, the band growing further from their audience as this once underground movement of a band became mainstream, and not the band, but rather the movement itself seemed to lose the momentum of what they were trying to achieve. Well the King Blues needed to come out swinging and they did, much better than I has anticipated they would.

The opening track "Last of the Dreamers" gives an intro of sorts to this is a dedication, get ready for it! And how. As far as songs go, you can't go far wrong with "We are Fucking Angry", not just the background, but the foreground song to a world in upheaval and with revolution so thick in the air you can't move for it. "Set The World on Fire" is the perfect song to make an impact on the mainstream circuit as well as being a good sing along when it's on in the pub, very easy on the ears this one. The thrown in track "Dancehall" seems a little out of place and seems an excuse to get creative with some instruments. A very Spanish vibe comes off of the track "The Future's No What it Used to Be" and again it's a track that's very easy on the ears and it's a nice chill out song, that is until it all of sudden bursts into some horrible techno club "ya jungla massive" bit and then chills back out again. Not a Classic. "I Want You" is, as with most King Blues songs, lyrically brilliant. The song oozing tons of pop punk and it comes together very well, another one for the mainstream to get into. And now one of my personal favourites off the album. If the last song was lyrical brilliance, this ones is pure genius. "5 Bottles of Shampoo" is a simple observation of the battle of sexes and how much women have to deal with as the so called 'lesser sex', a broadcast of liberation. Every person should hear this song, women: allow this song to show you how brilliant you can be. men: allow this song to show you how the opposite side lives. "Sex Education" comes across as the porno education notification song. With everyone always making so much fuss about whether we're being taught too young, too early, too much, not enough, the powers at be seem to be missing the point. If you're not teaching us, porn is, and you complain your society is indecent. It wouldn't be a King Blues album without Itch's ukulele and "Shooting Fascists", with the simple message, "Your Granddad didn't vote for Fascists, he shot 'em". Upon hearing "Headbutt" for the first time last year it sounded clear that they had a more mainstream approach for this album, but after a few listens it's an incredibly well written love song that is very unlike the usual garbage on the radio. It seems what I missed here was that very point. It's mainstream music these days, but with a point, unlike so many other tunes, it's the alternative mainstream so to speak. "Does Anyone Care About Us" is also pretty easy on the ears, but "Everything Happens For a Reason" is defiantly another love song for the masses, not entirely bad.


While this is definitely not as good as "Save the World" or even "Under the Fog" in my opinion, it's still pretty good. It'll be interesting to see what direction they go down for their fourth album, I'll defiantly be getting my hands on it though, I'll be anxious to see the outcome. 7/10