I've been a King's X fan from the very beginning. The two main ingredients
that I've always liked about this band are the Beatle like harmonies
in the vocals, mixed with their ability to rock and groove. Personally, I like
the first four King's X albums the most. For me, that was some of their
best material and producer Sam Taylor played a big part in getting a sound out
of them that really hasn't been matched since. After they parted ways with Taylor,
the music of King's X started to head in a different direction. This
was very noticeable on an album like Dogman, which was very groove and
grunge oriented, making it a bit darker and heavier. Since that album, their
music has been all over the place, being experimental and unpredictable at times.
Also, the members of King's X have been involved in numerous side projects
and solo efforts. With that said, I was really looking forward to what XV
had to offer. It's been almost three years since their last studio release,
Ogre Tones.
I must say that on the first few listens, XV did not grab me right away.
I can't help but feel that King's X have spread themselves a bit thin
over the last ten years by using alot of good ideas for their other side projects,
something I've been listening to for the past month. Ty Tabor has released three
solo albums and has been involved with bands like Platypus, Jelly
Jam, and Jughead while Doug Pinnick also has a few solo albums and has played in bands like
Poundhound and Supershine. XV sounds more like an
album that was strung together with material that is mostly dominated by the
person who initiated the main ideas. Doug Pinnick has always been the more soulful,
grooving grunge part of King's X while Ty Tabor has provided more of
the harmony and melodic rock elements. Even Jerry Gaskill's vocals blend in
so seamlessly with Tabor's that one can almost be mistaken for the other. Most
of the writing for XV was done on an individual basis; outside the studio
and away from each other. The band presented those ideas to the each other once
they did get together in the studio. At that point the band tried to finalize
the demo ideas by contributing whatever else they could by bouncing them off
of each other. XV is pretty much split down the middle between Pinnick
and Tabor both from both the song writing aspect and the lead vocals.
On XV, King's X once again employed the production talents of
sound engineer Michael Wagener (Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Dokken).
XV is comprised of fourteen tracks that incorporate a little bit of everything
from the entire King's X catalog. It covers a variety of musical territories
and contains driving guitar rhythms, great melodies, grooving bass lines, etc.
If you were to take all of of King's X's albums and put them in a blender
and then pour it into a glass, the end result is pretty much XV.
XV definitely a grower. With each listen, I have come to like this album
more and more. One of the things I really like about this album, especially
where Doug Pinnick's vocals are concerned, is that he is singing with more power.
He is reserved a bit on some areas but in others it's a pleasure to see him
let loose. Check out Alright. During the chorus, he is really belting
out the vocals in a way that I haven't heard in a long time. He even lets out
a scream, something that hasn't been used as much on their songs over the last
few albums. Even on a track like Go Tell Somebody, Pinnick's vocal delivery
is almost preacher like that it's hard not to stand up, clap and start singing.
It's a very catchy song!. Julie is the shortest track on the album and
is sung by Jerry Gaskill. It is more of a slow ballad and has a Paul McCartney
Let Me Roll It kind of vibe to it. Stuck has a pretty cool
wah guitar solo by Tabor with a trippy chorus. I Don't Know soars with
harmony and is very reminiscent of classic King's X like Faith
Hope Love era stuff.. Songs like Love and Rockets (Hell's
Screaming) and Prayhave more of a grunge, rock groove feel to them
with the metallic, heavy bottom end bass sound.
XV is a King's X album that will inspire you to go back and listen
to some of their other stuff. It's unique in alot of ways yet the elements that
have always made King's X stand out are still present, regardless of
whatever directions they have taken musically. Give it a chance, trust me. With
each listen you will come to like certain songs and just like the pieces of
a jigsaw puzzle, everything will eventually to come together and fall into place. The album will be available May 20th.