Great Record to Kick Off 2009!
Leif Sheppard | United States | 05/27/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Before the President was even inaugurated on 20 January 2009, I WAS A KING released their self-titled entry for album of the year. Too early? Perhaps, but when the music is this grand, it's easy to imagine this album featuring on numerous year-end best-of lists.
I WAS A KING crafts rock/pop gems that typically clock in at two or three minutes. I adore a song that doesn't overstay it's welcome, many bands forget how crucial this is. Naturally, some songs are better than others, but the fifteen tracks presented here are all worth hearing. The standout track is unquestionably "Norman Bleik", which has "classic single" written all over it.
Still, there are a myriad of reasons to love this album. It's brevity and immediate feel lend an aura of intensity to the music, and while I WAS A KING is occasionally a bit too heavy on the reverb, even tracks such as the noisy "Not Like This" are entirely listenable. Who knows, if you like acts like The Raveonettes, you'll probably love the reverb too!
A few other new records in the same general genre worth checking out are:
Foreign Born - Person to Person
Director - I'll Wait for the Sound
Lacrosse - Bandages for the Heart
Telekinesis - Telekinesis!"