Kaki King: Junior

Kaki King: Junior

Tweet

Print Share

 

Also In The News

Goalscorer Rooney glad to win trophies after cup glory
By Darren Estwick.

• Sunday's football rumour mill
• 'Depressed' Tony Blair 'almost stood down over Iraq war'
• Schumacher: Mercedes still has work to do

 

Monday, 01, Mar 2010 09:59

Cooking Vinyl, out March 1st.

What's it all about?

Taking a new direction from her previous work, King has worked closely with trusted musicians to create an album of ecclectic variety from punk to dance-rock providing inspiration. Occasional interludes are provided by purely instrumental tracks while the rest of the album features heartfelt vocals and originality.

Who's it by?

Kaki King is an alternative singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, and new album Junior sees her joined by drummer Jordan Perison and multi-instrumentalist Dan Brantigan. Her career spans more than the past ten years with critical acclaim and fan admiration aplenty.

As an example...

"My communist friends/They wanna help me/Or so they tell me/Where are you/When I need you/Where are you." - My Communist Friends

What the others say

"King has created a sonically diverse record with songs ranging from upbeat rockers to instrumentals to jangly pop." - Scott Orwig, prefixmag.com

So is it any good?

The first thing you notice about King's latest album is the variety, with everything from upbeat dance to soothing instrumentals perfectly balanced throughout. With an ambient vocal style that isn't always perfect she reminds me of the mid-nineties indie scene, most notably Sleeper and Catatonia, whose female vocalist would front their performances with a unique sound to divide them from the other bands around. The lo-fi recording style often lends an air of delicacy, even to the heavier and more upbeat tracks on the album, which won't be to everyone's taste, but it would be an injustice to not mention the talent and creativity that shines through every track. Kaki King isn't the kind of artist you put on in the background, or someone you would watch live to bounce around to, and Junior is an album that demands your full attention while rewarding you with fantastic alternative rock. Stand out moments include Spit It Back In My Mouth and Communist Friends.

8/10

Ben Brady