And now for something completely different. King Khan is a punk do-wop prince. The track features rock and roll of the most primal sort. This is paired down and retro. This is where it all began. The track is lo-fi and under-engineered to a degree most bands find hard to pull off, but here it is done with ease. King Khan is known for his wild on-stage antics, but he has one hell of a voice, carrying the tune in perfect style, ably supported by bass backing singers.
But beyond the vocals, I loved the melodic guitars and skiffle-type rhythm section. If The Cramps had softened in their old age, they might have started producing this kind of record, although I have a sneaking suspicion they wouldn’t have done it half as well, and believe you me, I love The Cramps. If you fancy something softer, something really eclectic to listen to, you really could do worse than this.
The track is taken from the album ‘Bad News Boys’, released in February by In the Red Records. This is not usually my sort of music, but, maybe because it’s spring or maybe because the quality is so good, I felt compelled to write this review. Going back to your roots never felt so good. I’m intrigued to hear more. The King Khan & BBQ Show have a live date in Liverpool this September. I might just interrupt my usual calendar of post punk gigs and catch them live. Apparently, I might need to put my battle armour on, though!
RIFFED's Rating: 8/10
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