King's X is a brilliant group. Even a brilliant group, though, can put out bad music. I had to remind myself of this before I started to write a review based more on the group than their most recent release.
King's X had quite a challenge before them: topping last year's stellar Out Of The Silent Planet. They've met the challenge, though. Here is 12 songs full of energy, creativity and, it rocks...all with the King's X touch--a little sitar, fluid and fast guitar leads, precise and alive bass lines, solid drumming, and unified vocal harmonies.
This record steers a little bit further away from a commercial sound, though they've still incorporated some good commercial hooks in songs like "Over My Head", "Send A Message", "I'll Never Be The Same", and "Fall On Me".
The intro to "Out Of The Silent Planet", "Summerland", and "Pleiades" roam somewhere in the ethereal area between "Goldilox" and Far Eastern Indian music. Ty Tabor must've had an older brother that sat around smoking a hoaka and playing the sitar...nah! The point is, they're playing some blatant non-commercial music. They're treading new ground. You'll either like it, because it's fresh; or reject it, because it's not familiar.
"Mission", their treatise on Gospel preachers, incorporates a real heavy organ sound; one I haven't heard much since Deep Purple's "Child In Time" (circa 1970). The song asks "What's the mission of the preacher man?" and then states that "some are true/ some do lie."
My favorites are the commercial tunes, like "Over My Head" and "Send A Message". The latter is a cool song that explains the proper response to trouble in the kingdom of God: "Send a message to the King!" (Pray) "I heard a voice whisper in the thunder/ I believe His words, but who am I hearing/ all the words of many others, standing before pharisees and scribes."
"Fall On Me" reminds me a lot of some of the early mega-funk hits of the early 70's when the huge-sounding chorus of vocals crashes with "Pain!" Vocalist/bassist Doug Pinnick has admitted to a heavy influence of Sly Stone. You can hear it here.
King's X keeps their high standard of lyric writing (They're all heavy readers). In "Everybody Knows A Little Bit Of Something", they share precious insights of truth: "Ignorance is a road that leads to trouble/ Wisdom is a treasure born in heaven/ those who find her have a precious something (see Proverbs 1:20 & 3:13-15)...This love I found is covered in forgiving/ everyday there's hope for the future."
King's X earns big points for not coming off as self-righteous rockers in "Don't Believe It": "This is not the time to give up hope, but it's easier said than done/It's easier to give up and run...we have heard the man and devil lies/ we've heard it all for far too long/ This is not the time to be weak/ but if you are, well, you're not alone."
There's a really neat mini-novel written by drummer Jerry Gaskill, called "Gretchen Goes To Nebraska", included in the lyric sheet.
An excellent video for "Over My Head" is currently getting some good airplay on MTV. One of the scene features a grandmother sitting in a rocking chair with her arms lifted to the Lord in praise, with a little boy across from her with his hands clasped in prayer. "Grandma used to sing everynight while she was prayin."
Check out King's X at this beginning stage of what promises to be a huge career. I think they're gonna be a really popular band all over the world. They're not only good songwriters, but they're musician's musicians. They can play well.