i've recently received king's x latest album, "ogre tones". for a group whose albums are at worst very good and at best beautifully excellent, this is one of the better ones. yes, this one hooked me in immediately much like _tapehead_, _gretchen..._, and _dogman_.
thematically, i think the album is appropriately titled. for much of the album they are addressing various unpleasantries of humanity and outright questioning the roles and value of both god and faith. but for all the disenchantment and loss they still manage to communicate hope and perserverance - perhaps an optimistic glance ahead to an incorruptible state.
how does one classify king's x music? i'm not sure what popular term really fits. for those familiar, musically they seem to have settled back into a more familiar style (to the listener) and quit trying to awkwardly evolve (compared to their own work) their sound. they are back to trading off lead vocals and this album is well-served by presenting in more than one voice.
although some of the songs could fit well onto earlier projects ("sooner or later" perhaps on _gretchen..._; and "goldilox" is brought back for this album) they fit together very nicely. yes, i may well end up considering this album as one of their top three.
well done. very well done. how this band has escaped wider acclaim for twenty years is still beyond me.
"hey god, they say you are perfect and in control
and i'm falling apart
hey god, the god of so many names
but who can i blame
what the hell are you thinking
where do you go to get away"
- from "get away" by king's x
"thunder clouds and blackouts in the night outside of dreams
where rivers ran where there was once a stream
if we can walk on water well it's hard to perceive
and you know it's even harder to believe"
- from "hurricane" by king's x
"i look at you and i know who you are
you're just a little bit too far from my home
but please don't get me wrong
even though it has been long
i hope i never sing my last song without someone"
- from "goldilox" by king's x
be well.
laeth
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