Search - King's X :: Black Like Sunday

A Big Disappointment for a Long-time Fan

Michael A. Gresley | 06/26/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"It pains me to give a King's X album such a low score. I mean, I own the entire catalog, I've seen the band live at least ten times, and have even had beers with the guys after a show. I remember hearing them for the first time as a kid watching late-night TV when their video for Over My Head made a splash for a while on MTV. I've been a fan ever since. But, alas, I have to be truthful and honest about this collection, as nothing less will benefit the band or fans.



This is a sub-par album for any band, let alone one as stellar as King's X. As many have already mentioned, it's a modern recording of a bunch of rehashed throw-away tunes that didn't make it onto their first album, Out of the Silent Planet. They were put in the circular file then, and that's honestly where they should have stayed. The sound is dated, the structures are boring, the lyrics are juvenile and banal...need I go on? It's cheesy, 1980s pop-rock that is barely saved by the fact that it being played by a band with incredible execution.



Screamer is novel enough, but that's the problem: it's merely a novelty song to show off Doug's screaming ability. Rock Pile has a decent enough verse, but the chorus is sickeningly goofy. Johnny is the epic tune that doesn't justify its epic length...Ty's long solo is the most pointless, meandering bunch of swoops and ambient sounds he's ever put together into a single chain. The title track is passable.



Honestly, this album should be avoided by anyone except collectors. It is definitely not the place to start if you're just trying to get into King's X. If you really want to support this band, buy their latest CD, Ogre Tones, which is an excellent, excellent album. It has a great variety of sound, and should satisfy both their later fans that are used to the "heavy" version of King's X as well as their earlier fans that long to hear the soaring guitar and Beatlesesque harmonies. I'm a fan of both eras, truly, and I think it's their best CD since Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous, and possibly since Dogman (another awesome disc that everyone should own).



Avoid this one, but don't avoid King's X. I'm one of those music nerds who owns like 1500 CDs, and if I had to give up all but, say, 100 of them, I would take up slots in that batch for all of my King's X CDs. This is one of the best overall rock bands still recording that hasn't ever sold out and keeps pumping out great tunes. They deserve many a listen...just don't start with Black Like Sunday."