"Native Land" is gorgeous, my favorite track.
Reminds me of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7A7Vmt71_U
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 31 January 2016 21:50 (eight years ago) link
album sounds gloopy
― j., Sunday, 31 January 2016 22:50 (eight years ago) link
imagination comparison otm
― HYPERLINK TO RAP GENIUS (BradNelson), Sunday, 31 January 2016 22:50 (eight years ago) link
This album kind of reminds me of Avalanche by Quadron but if it had been produced by Stevie Wonder at his peak. There's some Minnie Riperton in there too which is never a bad thing.
It's basically 12 songs that give me the same feeling as Ex Factor Lauryn Hill does and it's perfect.
I doubt I would have heard of them if it wasn't for this place and I'm grateful to everyone who has championed them over the last few years. Feeling pretty emotional about this record right now.
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 1 February 2016 21:57 (eight years ago) link
did i tell you guys i went to that amazing show they had at Amoeba and bought their album and they signed it for me?
― nomar, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:11 (eight years ago) link
That's awesome. I'm seeing them in a couple of weeks. Did you buy the album on CD? Don't suppose they had it on vinyl?
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:17 (eight years ago) link
Aw yeah, 'Love and Pride'! Tune!
― Turrican, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:21 (eight years ago) link
i didn't tell you guys that because my wife was late coming back from work and i missed the show
― nomar, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:25 (eight years ago) link
they had the album on CD, not vinyl. i'm holding out for the latter!
― nomar, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:26 (eight years ago) link
i'm sure you took the high ground and made no mention of your disappointment..
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Monday, 1 February 2016 22:31 (eight years ago) link
Sorry to hear you missed out nomar. Also sorry I misjudged your original post and mentioned I was going to see them in a few weeks. They aren't coming on stage until after 11 so there's a chance I'll fall asleep and miss the show. If I do, I'll be sure to come on here and tell you.
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:40 (eight years ago) link
I'm going to try and wait for the vinyl too. Will be looking forward to getting it probably some time in September.
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 1 February 2016 22:42 (eight years ago) link
this thread is amazing
― alpine static, Monday, 1 February 2016 23:31 (eight years ago) link
i don't see any mention on their bandcamp of a vinyl release but i imagine it's gonna happen.
― nomar, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 01:01 (eight years ago) link
I'm so fucking sad I won't get to see them when they're here in a couple weeks but my partner is getting into the airport at the same time :(
― Hey (Extended Mix), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 01:21 (eight years ago) link
can't someone else pick him/her up
― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 2 February 2016 01:28 (eight years ago) link
can't call a cab?
― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 2 February 2016 01:29 (eight years ago) link
Uber, get with it
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 01:30 (eight years ago) link
Heh, I do enjoy the intact state of my relationship. Esp. given we haven't seen each other in months. Hopefully KING will be back soon...
― Hey (Extended Mix), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 01:36 (eight years ago) link
This is fantastic
― Crazy Eddie & Jesus the Kid (Raymond Cummings), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 16:44 (eight years ago) link
(thread and album alike)
― Crazy Eddie & Jesus the Kid (Raymond Cummings), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 16:47 (eight years ago) link
two listens and i'm kinda with al. it's certainly LUSH but i need greater fidelity, a fair amount of time and a live experience.
― ulysses, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 17:00 (eight years ago) link
i listened to most of this on NPR this morning whilst staggering around, not bad.
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 17:11 (eight years ago) link
wow the morbs seal of approval
― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 2 February 2016 17:35 (eight years ago) link
It's official.
― Hey (Extended Mix), Tuesday, 2 February 2016 19:13 (eight years ago) link
i'm seeing them tonight :)
― maura, Tuesday, 2 February 2016 19:30 (eight years ago) link
Reviewed on P4K today
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21469-we-are-king/
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 11:13 (eight years ago) link
TOO LOW
― conditional random jepsen (seandalai), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 11:26 (eight years ago) link
combination of that review + that score comes off as kinda patronising
― ZESTY O'PRIDE (imago), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 11:35 (eight years ago) link
not a badly written review
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 11:54 (eight years ago) link
last sentence of it is like a high-school term paper wrap-up, flailing for something to say that sounds substantial
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 13:27 (eight years ago) link
"The influence of (topic) will surely be felt for years to come."
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 13:28 (eight years ago) link
the high school (and college freshman) paper would replace "surely" for "definitely."
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 13:45 (eight years ago) link
yes, well tweaked. teamwork!
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 15:10 (eight years ago) link
Digging this! Some sophisticated stuff going on. Was thinking how much I would hate it exactly as is but with some indie waif singing, so thank goodness it's not. Love the trend of people making music that echoes stuff I used to love on the radio when I was in the single digits. Waving a wand to put them on tour with HAIM and give both a huge budget and a time machine (Time machine?) to work with 1986 Jam/Lewis
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 5 February 2016 22:12 (eight years ago) link
I've been assigned a longer review and am uncharacteristically nervous
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 February 2016 22:13 (eight years ago) link
You should relax to some KING.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 5 February 2016 22:20 (eight years ago) link
heyyyyyyyuare
― HYPERLINK TO RAP GENIUS (BradNelson), Friday, 5 February 2016 22:40 (eight years ago) link
This is a great album. Is this their actual first album? I remember hearing The Story EP years ago and was confused when I saw it on this one... I guess it's really a compilation.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 5 February 2016 22:47 (eight years ago) link
it's their first album but all the songs they've released to date except for the Fela cover they did for a Red+Hot comp are on here
― Hey (Extended Mix), Friday, 5 February 2016 23:32 (eight years ago) link
Crowd loves them
― i believe that (s)he is sincere (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 6 February 2016 02:33 (eight years ago) link
it was exactly the same as the show i saw 1.5 years ago but the place felt packed and everyone was going nuts, it was amazing
― HYPERLINK TO RAP GENIUS (BradNelson), Saturday, 6 February 2016 02:51 (eight years ago) link
Did they play with a band or was the music pre-recorded?
― calstars, Saturday, 6 February 2016 03:57 (eight years ago) link
ok, the chord progressions are insane. who's the melodic genius behind their sound? i feel like i haven't listened to an album that rich in ages, lots of stevie obv but also nods to fagen and jobim in the harmonic dept. i'm impressed.
― cock chirea, Saturday, 6 February 2016 04:07 (eight years ago) link
they write and produce their own shit
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 6 February 2016 04:18 (eight years ago) link
ughhhhh i was tied up in astoria and couldn't get to the show tonight :(
― the thirteenth floorior (Doctor Casino), Saturday, 6 February 2016 04:20 (eight years ago) link
"hey" was pretty incredible live
― J0rdan S., Saturday, 6 February 2016 04:44 (eight years ago) link
yeah i love how it was reduced entirely to keyboards
― HYPERLINK TO RAP GENIUS (BradNelson), Saturday, 6 February 2016 06:04 (eight years ago) link
it sounded so nice when the crowd caught the refrain
― J0rdan S., Saturday, 6 February 2016 06:13 (eight years ago) link
The official release finally came out, so I've listened to this on a proper system, and I have to say it's not as perfect as I first thought. I still love the arrangements and the songwriting and the synths, but it feels they could've done more work with the vocals, or maybe they just have an aesthetic to their singing that I don't quite understand?
First of all, they do this breathy, cooing vocal style on almost every song, throughout the album, and it makes it feel a bit flat, like there's no ups and downs. I didn't mind it on the singles I heard before, because it works on individual tunes, but IMO a full album requires a bit more variety of expression, it shouldn't all sound the same. And I don't mean they should've gone into hyperdramatic melismas and other R&B tricks of making music more "expressive", but some, more subtle changes in style would've still been nice.
Secondly, and this is tied to my first point, a lot of the times it feels like I'm listening to the backing vocals, but the front vocalist is missing. Maybe it's a part of KING's collective ethos to use this kind of group harmonizing so much, but it also contributes to the feel that's it's all an uniform mass. When listened as a whole the individual tunes are kinda lacking in character because the narrative voice never changes.
I still like the album and everything else besides the vocals is great, but I don't think in the long run it'll shoot into my personal soul/R&B top 10. But like I said, maybe their vocal aesthetics are a deliberate choice, and I just don't get it?
― Tuomas, Monday, 8 February 2016 15:05 (eight years ago) link