Published on Jul 2, 1999
Back in the day, before grunge made bands so self-conscious, it
was okay to kick a little ass in the name of rock and roll – rather
than, say, disaffection. I recall seeing the video for “Over My
Head”, a single from King’s X 1989 release
Gretchen Goes To Nebraska, and remarking just how powerfully
they rocked. Ty Tabor brought scads of tone with his “secret”
guitar rig, playing with more intensity and conviction than 200
hair rockers.
It was this conviction, shared by the group, which turned them
into an underground sensation for an extremely dedicated fan base.
Their videos were actually interspersed with the metal-lite that
dominated MTV at the time. Critics liked them and they were a big
hit with the musician crowd. I’m not sure why the mainstream
ignored them – King’s X had the talent to be the next big thing in
rock; they were far more sincere than their unfortunate
contemporaries Warrant, LA Guns, and the other shitty poseur
bands.
Well, I do have a suspicion it was the implicit religious
message within their songs that prevented their break. Christian
bands so rarely make it big with the in-crowd. Not that it’s
important to do that; it’s simply where large money and popular
legitimacy is. I never considered King’s X a religious group. I
knew it was there but they were just so bad ass, lacking the
cheesy, overproduced Christian band sound and incessant lyrical
references to “He” and “Him”. They were a little more real I
think.
Alas, as shafts go, they got a rather large one. Signed then
dropped by Atlantic, they were unfortunate victims of the
grunge/alternative turn in popular music. Now they’re on Metal
Blade after a hiatus and solo albums to placate Tabor and Doug
Pinnick.
The new album,
Tape Head, is an evolution of King’s X’s last two studio
albums,
Ear Candy and
Dogman. It’s refreshing too, with an interesting studio
approach first heard on
Ear Candy – a particular attention paid to spacing
everything in an extremely wide mix. It’s effective, especially
when you listen on headphones. I love the idea of making headphone
friendly albums – not many modern bands evolve to using the studio
as a tool and instrument. But King’s X has always had a tendency to
throw flourishes on a track – backward vocals, sitars, and various
environmental noises from the left and the right.
There are two songs on
Tape Head showing the most sophisticated merging of funk,
hard rock, and pop. “Little Bit Of Soul” is a Sly song with smooth
edges and a huge bottom. Doug Pinnick remains one of the most
dynamic singers in music – that’s him doing the coolest vocals on
the Hendrix tribute
In From the Storm. His vocals have always been a big part of
King’s X’s appeal, he’s got the confidence and vocal flamboyance
that is anything but common. “Higher Than God” is an old school
chorus with a metallic verse and vindictive lyrics. Ty Tabor’s
riffs and solos sound familiar yet extraterrestrial at the same
time anchored by athletic drummer Jerry Gaskill’s exceptional
playing.
I’ve enjoyed the division of labor in King’s X; watching who
emerges as dominant singer or songwriter on an album. Surprisingly
the band usually divides everything the same way, with everyone
contributing to the band’s practically patented vocal style.
Tape Head is definitely the best album since the self-titled
1992 release. The choruses revolve around interesting melodies,
always sounding different yet solid enough to be mainstream radio
content. Tabor’s songwriting always touches the pop vein and Lennon
influence – “Ocean” drips with this sentiment. Songs like “Cupid”
have the pop sensibility and clever lyrical structure that could
make a mainstream hit, while the vocal harmonies are lush and
appealing.
The artwork on this CD (and the recently released Platypus
release
When Pus Comes to Shove – Tabor’s side project) is just
awful. Tabor seems to have taken total control of packaging and
producing. This is fine, as he has his own music production site,
but damn it: guitar players should stay away from the artwork.
Looking like a high school student’s web page, the album’s layout
and photography really inspire the need to buy a plain jewel case
and just keep the important part.
I say give these guys a chance if you like Led Zeppelin or
another similarly heavy but tasty group. They’re reduced to playing
shitty heavy metal bars due to disinterest and crummy record
company support, so give them a shot. The album is good, as is
their entire catalog. If you love current music on the radio, never
mind. You’re incorrigible at this point.