All King's X All The Time

Because I wasn't wanting my kids exposed to constant commercials while listening to Spotify I decided to sign up for a family membership.  It hurts me to pay a company knowing that the artists receive so little for their work but maybe I can just leave my playlist on repeat 24/7.  

I wasn't a Spotify user before this but since I was paying for it I decided to give it a whirl.  Maybe I can get some good music recommendations.  Not yet, but maybe one day Spotify will be able to figure out my schizophrenic music tastes.

One thing I did, though, was to create a play list of every King's X album.  They are certain in my top tier bands, although it's really only the first five that are their best.  So far I'm seventy songs into their 151song catalog and I've been enjoying hearing songs from the albums that don't get a lot of play.  I'm one of the weirdos that really likes Mr. Bulbous but the most recent one (from a decade ago?) and the Black Like Sunday don't get many listens.  In fact, I actually disliked Black Like Sunday and while hearing it again I can hear some juvenile bits, it's not too bad.  And overall, even the albums I didn't care for much are pretty high quality... certainly much better that a lot of tripe out there.  Perhaps the reason I didn't like some of those albums is because you wait and wait for a new album, knowing that whatever you get is going to have to tide you over for a few years so it had better be great.  But instead of being amazing it's just really good.  And it certainly isn't as good as those magic early albums where pixie dust was seemingly sprinkled on every song.  So you're let down.  But I'm able to appreciate and enjoy hearing these out of historical context.

 Yeah, a stupid entry but that's where I am these days.

Music Review - Jerry Gaskill - Love and Scars

An excellent album that deserves more of my time. Kudos, Jerry!

For the past few decades Jerry Gaskill has beat the skins for King’s X, a relatively unknown but highly influential power trio. While the other two members have added a string of side projects and solo albums to their work as a band, Jerry has released only a single solo album. Until now.

While Gaskill’s first album, Come Somewhere, sounded like it had been written on an acoustic guitar and later rocked up, Love and Scars is a full-on melodic hard rock onslaught. The modern sound is largely due to guitarist/songwriter/producer DA Karkos, plus friends like Andee Blacksugar, Billy Sheehan and Phil Keaggy. But as they say back on the farm, if you slap lipstick on pig and put it in a fancy sequined dress, you might have a date for Saturday but it’s still a pig. To that end, all the deluxe sonic treatments won’t do anything to make a poorly written song enjoyable. Thankfully as a co-writer for many classic King’s X tunes, Jerry excels at creating great songs and this time it’s obvious that his guitar was plugged in when he wrote them.

And thankfully for King’s X fans, Jerry solo sounds a lot like King’s X. Surprise! I’m sure it helps that the guitarists “borrow” Ty Tabor’s signature guitar sound and style but since it’s been awhile since a proper King’s X album, I’m not complaining. I mean, can you really rip off your own band? As a confirmed Beatles fan, Jerry also uses vocal harmonies to flesh out his rich melodies. Instead of going through song by song I’ll just say that there are grinding mid-tempo rockers, lighter songs filled with dreamy guitars and even a playful “live” song at the end. In short, it’s got everything a rocker could want.

Always one to write some way-out lyrics that leave the listener scratching their head (“Six Broken Soldiers” and “American Cheese” come to mind) Jerry combines poetic mystery with humor and enjoyment out of everyday activities. Just a few examples: “You’re only pretty when your heart beats / Or your lungs breath / After that I just don’t know” (concerning his heart attack), “So Patty cut my hair / We talked about the air” and “You’re so lovely when you’re far away.”

With Love and Scars Jerry Gaskill proves that he’s much more than just an excellent drummer and songwriter. He’s survived two heart attacks plus losing everything to Hurricane Sandy and is still able to kick back, laugh, and enjoy life. Thankfully the songs on this album invite us to sit down and enjoy the humor of life by his side.

Music Review - Pinnick Gales Pridgen

One of the best concerts I ever attended was King’s X with The Eric Gales Band opening. With the release of Pinnick Gales Pridgen it’s like I’ve stepped into an alternate universe and was able to view both acts at the same time… without pharmaceuticals!

As the name might suggest, this power trio is comprised of Dug Pinnick of King’s X, Eric Gales of, well, his own band and Lauryn Hill and last, but not least, Thomas Pridgen, ex-Mars Volta. Sometimes these constructed side projects come across as a bit uninspired but in this case these three gentlemen absolutely click, forming a molten blend of “old school” bluesy rock with plenty of soul that nods at the vintage without sounding like a throwback. Smokin! I’ve not heard Pridgen before but plan to hear more from him soon. The man completely attacks the drums with a powerful intensity I haven’t heard in a long time, like he’s exorcising some inner demon, the stellar “Hang On, Big Brother” being a prime example. I’ve written before about Dug and his thunderous bass and commanding vocals and this album does not deviate. A lesser guitarist would shudder in his presence but Eric Gales is no ordinary guitarist. If you’ve not heard the man, and consider yourself a lover the six strings, you owe it to yourself to check out his chops, both in riffs and as a soloist. Comparisons to Lenny Kravitz, Hendrix, and Slash are not out of place. I was impressed by his first album, cut when he was barely sixteen, and he’s only improved in the interim. Sure, there are more technical players out there but few are as passionate. For proof you need listen no further than their cover of “Sunshine of Your Love” or the jam sections of “Been So High” and you’ve become a believer. And speaking of jam sections, this album contains a rarity these days: mistakes. Yes, there are a few instances where you’ll catch one of the members being less than perfect but the passion is so spot-on that fixing it with an overdub does the song an injustice. It’s that kind of music.

The producer, the legendary Mike Varney, had an apprentice who tried to bring an auto-tune module into the studio while they were recording and it melted on the spot, ruining the carpet. No lie. Every time I listen to this album I hear something else to like and I’m not normally a fan of Dug’s solo projects. Highly recommended for those of us old enough to remember how real music is made.

Review - Supershine

I haven't listened to this one since I reviewed it and I have no interest in hearing it again. For some reason Ty Tabor's side projects often make me giddy while Dougs, or Dugs, side and solo stuff doesn't work for me.

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King's X was one of my favorite bands during college thanks to their powerful guitar riffs, rich vocal harmonies, thoughtful lyrics, and a penchant for melodies. It's no surprise then that I check out each album their various members work on as the band enters their "White Album" phase. The latest is Supershine, a pairing of King's X bassist/vocalist Doug Pinnick and Bruce Franklin of the classic stoner-rock band Trouble. This debut album contains hints of both bands but the balance is maintained such that the songs are not derivative of either. Instead, these twelve songs combine the fuzzy guitar tones, minor key melodies, and massive riffs of Franklin with Pinnick's hefty vocal cords and thundering bass lines. Indeed, both King's X and Trouble cite Black Sabbath as an influence and this is clearly evident in these songs.

The album explodes with "Take Me Away," a song with a very heavy, very catchy riff that is about as close to King's X as this album gets. Here especially Pinnick's highly underrated vocals are honest and full of emotion. "Kingdom Come" contains a mud-on-yer-boots Sabbath riff that is quickly followed by the melodic "One Night", an almost upbeat, almost pop song which contains some of Franklin's best playing in years. Supershine shows their classic rock influence with a dead-on cover of Grand Funk's "Shinin' On". Other album highlights include "Candy Andy Jane" which takes the opening riff of the Ten Years After classic "I'd Love To Change the World" and transforms it into a powerful metal riff and a great song. The final track, "Shadows/Light" is a departure from the Sabbath-soaked riffs into a sobering song filled with acoustic nuances and a moody Hammond B-3. Although comparatively quiet, the song is a powerful tribute to Pinnicks ability to write lyrics that go straight to the soul. Not to be outdone, Franklin's solo work on this song is equally haunting and effective, bringing out the solitude of the lyrics.

If you're looking for King's X with this album, you'll be greatly disappointed. Instead, the chemistry between Franklin and Pinnick has brewed up a pot of groove-based, heavy-edged 70's rock, massive, rumbling bass lines, and a mind-melting array of guitar riffs that are perfectly at home in these well-written songs.

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, February 2001.

Review - Jughead

This album lead to the discovery of The Mustard Seeds, another super duper band of Christian heavy power pop. It's been over ten years... how about another Jughead album? Pretty please?

Also, while this album isn't technically a Christian album it most certainly is.  My soul gets fed far more while listening to many of the songs on this album than it does in hearing a typical praise song in church. 

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Every now and then, just as I'm slipping into a chronic state of musical ennui, an album comes along to rudely shake me out of my doldrums. The self-titled album by Jughead was just such a musical slap in the face.

When you consider the members of this new band it's no surprise. Ty Tabor, best known for his amazing guitar prowess as part of the legendary King's X, adds his astounding fret skills but in an unusual turn, only sings lead on two songs, although his frequent background harmonies are prominent. And who better to match Ty's impeccable technique except accomplished Jazz bassist Matt Bissonette who adds his impressive vocals to the project. Forming an ultra-solid rhythm section as only symbiotic siblings can, Greg Bissionette plays drums. Together these brothers have played for such luminaries as Joe Satriani, Santana, Steve Vai and David Lee Roth. Adding a tastefully restrained amount of keys is Derek Sherinian, formerly of Dream Theater. With all these progressive and technical credits one would think that the music would be equally esoteric, but one would be wrong. Infusing hints of Beatles and 70s arena rock with the best of today's modern sound, Jughead is quality rock music without pretension, destined to appeal to anyone willing to listen. I can really see this album going over well in Fort Wayne but it would take a station like WXKE (nudge, nudge) to play music not programmed by the radio illuminati.

Many of the songs fall into the "fun, fast guitar rock" category. "Halfway Home to Elvis", "Snow In Tahiti", "Be Like You" and the aptly named "Bullet Train" with it's rich vocal harmonies all satisfy your need to rock hard and fast with each song containing enough combustible energy to make the bedridden attempt the jitterbug. "Promise" is a continuation of Tabor's Safety solo album where he contemplates his broken marriage and a time before "feelings were stronger than a promise." Unlike Safety, this song is neither depressing nor self-indulgent, thanks to buzzing guitars, classic overdriven Hammond organ, and a rollicking rhythm. Capturing the same lonely feel as Zeppelin's "The Rain Song", "Waiting on the Son" contains a wonderfully fun and bouncy bass line along with some tantalizing vocal harmonies. Matt opens "Yesterday I Found Myself" with the lyrics "Yesterday I cried balloons / Rubber tears came out like water on the moon" before a crushing wall of guitars enter, dark, heavy and very reminiscent of classic King's X. If you weren't having fun yet, "Flowers" will most certainly make you smile. Opening with a zooming rhythm and group whistling, the verse contains a strong Spanish influence before charging into the big, bright, happy sing-along chorus of "Today's the day/ I'm on my way / I'm bringing flowers to the girl I love." The final track, "Paging Willie Mays" is Magical Mystery Tour- era Beatles meets Pink Floyd at a Foo Fighters concert with a sedate, hypnotic verse rudely pushed aside by a gruff wall of guitars, all adorned with cello and mellotron.

There's nothing startlingly new or innovative about Jughead's sound or songwriting structures, it's just eleven hyper-kinetic, mind-melting, huge sounding, colorful, uber-melodic rock/pop/power pop songs in the vein of Foo Fighters and Stone Temple Pilots. Buy this album now!

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, October 2002.

Review - Jelly Jam

My, what a long, long review. Not much else to add, I suppose, except that I still listen to this one now and then, a whopping ten years later. The trio just put out a new album, their third, and the rumors are that a fourth is in the works. Oh joy! Oh rapture!

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To me, the last King's X album sounded like they were just going through the motions, hashing together ten quick songs to fulfill contractual obligations. Doug dominated the tracks, making it sound like a Pound Hound project, and Ty apparently spent most of the album in the john.

Or maybe his creative juices were busy collaborating on his latest side band, The Jelly Jam.

When the keyboardist for his first side project, Platypus, decided to leave the band, the remaining members knew that there was still plenty of magic to be mined. Working in the familiar confines of a three-piece combo, guitarist/vocalist Ty Tabor of King's X, bassist John Myung of Dream Theatre, and drummer Rod Morgenstein of Dixie Dregs have created an album of songs that far surpasses anything recorded by Platypus. Less jazzy and more rock-n-roll than their earlier work, these songs start strong and get stronger. On the first listen you may find a track or two that you enjoy but give it three more spins and it'll plow into you line an angry linebacker on steroids. So good are these tunes that I've been putting off reviewing this album just so I can justify a few more listens. Where most albums begin to lose their luster after five spins past these jaded ears, this album is well into the twenties and I still love what I hear.

Imagine crunching 70's era rock with a bit of classic prog, add Beatlesque vocal stylings, astounding guitar tones, appealing melodies, and death-defying drum work that even non-drummers notice, and you have The Jelly Jam. The first track, "I Can't Help You", is dense and heavy, charging through gritty progressive meter changes with a great in-the-gut riff. The funky wah guitar of "No Remedy" will remind fans of prime King's X while "Nature's Girl" features frenzied guitars battling to reach the half-time candy chorus. "Feeling" is the first song that broke me wide open. Lyrically set on Ty's "busted marriage", this song is packed with emotion. Loping bass lines and a complex drum figure in the verse make way for an ultra-crunchy and powerfully intense bridge. Ty's clean vocals part the waters with "Leave me my red cherry wine/ And I know I'll be doing just fine / 'Cause I'm keeping this deep heart of mine / From feeling" as the song segues into a placid, extended solo section reminiscent of "The Burning Down" from the classic Gretchen album, later rising again like the Phoenix, building more tension to unbearable levels. With no chance to recover, The Jelly Jam next hits you with "Reliving", a song slower in tempo but just as heavy with heartfelt anguish and crying, screaming guitar. The title track opens with the same guitar figure used in "Reliving" but these talented musicians turn it into a spacey six-minute impromptu jam. I'm not sure if Ty is trying to say something about his "home" band with "I Am The King" but this heavy humdinger with killer drums packs a powerful wallop, juxtaposing an angsty chorus with a calm verse. "The King's Dance" is an instrumental based on the melodies from the previous track, all of which melts into "Under The Tree". Here an Asian-influenced verse comes head to head with a crushing ball bridge full of distortion. The second half of the song is an extended, spacey solo, again like the classic early King's X albums, featuring Ty's signature guitar tone.

The flow of this album, with songs borrowing themes from one another, leads to a very coherent and always interesting album. The music is complex but doesn't reveal it's true nature unless you are listening for it, masked as it is in easily digestible melodies and great vocals. While I've made many comparisons to early King's X albums, the biggest hit is in terms of feel. There is a chemistry going on here, a spark between three musicians at the top of their craft, each excited to be a part of a kinetic creativity that can't be formulated by studio gizmos. This one's a solid 10… what more can I say?

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, April 2002.

Review - Ty Tabor - Safety

The last two Ty Tabor solo albums have been quite good (especially the Libertarian-leaning lyrics... ALLITERATION!!!!), meaning I'm now obliged to revisit his earlier albums, like this one, to see if I was missing something.

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Ty Tabor's latest solo album, Safety, was written and recorded over a three-year period. Arriving at an unfortunately appropriate time for this reviewer, the ten songs chronicle his journey through the end of a "busted marriage". Aside from Jerry Gaskill on drums for most of the tracks and Christian Nesmith providing a few backing vocals, Tabor plays and sings (and produces and mixes and masters) everything on the album.

While the material from King's X (Ty's main band) is usually harder and more progressive, Ty's solo music is full of easily palatable pop-rock with catchy melodies and copious amounts of Beatle-derived vocal harmonies. The opening track, "Tulip" is example one with an upbeat acoustic-electric song that bears a strong George Harrison influence. The title track mixes acoustic Zeppelin with Crosby, Stills & Nash vocal harmonies to create a rollicking good tune where Tabor finds some peace during his marital discord.

As is my wont, my favorites are the few where crunchy guitar riffs propel Ty's silken vocals through unusual chord changes. In "Better To Be On Hold" Ty captures his emotional state succinctly with lyrics like "She's all about her business/ She's got an address / And I am helpless" while accompanied by a great, chunky guitar riff. "Funeral", possibly the heaviest song, has more gutsy guitar work leading to multi-layered vocal harmonies in the chorus and one mind-blowing guitar solo, effective more for it's emotion than it's technical aspects. Although Tabor finds his life to be a "perpetual funeral" the bridge reveals the hope that "the knot will slowly start to loosen." While you might expect a song titled "Anger" to give a double-dose of distortion, Tabor instead presents a mid-tempo pop-rock gem while me muses that there is "Anger if I think about it" while again realizing that "I can see the end of the roller coaster." The final track, "I Don't Mind" opens and closes with some freakish Adrian-Belewish guitar sounds compliments of Wally Farkas. With slow, melancholy guitars ringing Tabor takes off his wedding ring and coils a great melody around the lyrics "And if it's you / You need to find / I don't mind / Anymore", closing the album with an inner resolution to heal and move on.

I've always found Tabor to be at his best when collaborating with others and this album is no exception. There are some incredible melodies and vocal harmonies within and while I don't personally subscribe to the clingy "I'll be your doormat while you 'find' yourself" slant of the lyrics, one would be hard pressed not to find songs which speak to the wounded soul.

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, June 2002.

Review - Platypus - Ice Cycles

I prefer this second album to their first but would gladly settle to be able to write songs 1/20th as good as any on either album.

Progressive rock is often criticized (and rightly so) for over-indulging technical abilities at the expense of the song. Form a "super group" with some of progressive rock's most talented musicians and you might get a cesspool of technical grandstanding. Might. With Platypus, though, the result is a collection of great songs backed with outstanding musicianship. This aquatic creature is comprised of John Myung (bass, Dream Theatre), Derek Sherinian (keyboards, Planet X), Ty Tabor (guitar and vocals, King's X), and Rod Morgenstein (drums, Dixie Dregs). The songs on this release are more radio-friendly than their first, although they are also darker and harder. Instead of the plentiful long instrumentals of When Pus Comes to Shove, Ice Cycles has only two instrumentals and six songs with lyrics. As Tabor handles the vocals and lyrics, these songs tend to have a more Beatle-ish feel, much like his solo albums.

"The Tower" as an up-tempo romp mixed with slower verse sections accompanied by some incredible drumming and an extended bridge where the musicians trade off solos. "Cry" is a dark, sobering song of desperation. Fans of Alice Cooper with recognize a piano part from "I Love the Dead" within and it fits in quite naturally with the dour mood of the song. In "I Need You", Platypus digs a deep groove with some emotive bass playing and some very substantive vocals. "Gone" is a six-minute ode to missed opportunities with an smoldering slow burn and a simple chorus of "Something has changed / Something is wrong / Something is gone." As with their first album, the best tracks are the instrumentals. "25" starts with heavy, fevered guitar riff and keeps it that way with a piece that switches between 70s fusion and dirty Mississippi rock, plus a few other styles to keep the listener on their toes as each musician takes their turn to show off their chops. Not to be outdone, the album ends with "Partial To The Bean", a ten minute pastiche comprised of seven sections that range from an aggressive and frenetic meter-swapping funhouse to the soothing and hypnotic mid-section to a Dark-Side-Of-The-Moon keyboard driven piece called "Platmosis" that opens up into more inventive guitar madness. Overall, this sophomore album is more homogenous than the debut, finding the members maturing from a side-project into a real band.

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, January 2001.

Review - Platypus - When Pus Comes To Shove

This band morphed into The Jelly Jam when the keyboardist left. I likes 'em better as a power trio but the two Platypus albums ain't nothin' to shake a stick at.

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About six months ago I downloaded an MP3 file of a song by the new "progressive supergroup" Platypus and started annoying my coworkers by turning my computer up to eleven. I have suffered through months of domestic release delays until early this month, this strange creature was born in the form of their first album When Pus Comes to Shove. And my stereo hasn't been the same since.

Playpus is comprised of bassist John Myung and keyboardist Derek Sherinian of Dream Theater (whose music is best described as Bach meets Metallica in Kanas), drummer Rod Morgenstein of the legendary jazz-southern rock fusion band Dixie Dregs, and guitarist Ty Tabor of King's X (whose sound and style laid the foundation for many of today's bands including Soundgarden, Collective Soul and Alice in Chains. Together they have combined the best of their respective bands, creating a musical masterpiece of progressive rock not heard in years. While the songs range from new age to ballads to full out rock, the spirit of disciplined chaos, intricately woven parts, humor, and freewheeling mania continue throughout the 50+ minute CD of half instrumental, half lyrical songs.

"Rock Balls/Destination Moon" retains the free jamming feeling of classic Kansas. This track especially is drenched in organs and keyboards, giving a Deep Purple vibe that none of the band members expected. "Platt Opus" continues this sound, expanding it with tightly intertwined melodies, a playful "Dixie Dregs" spirit and 18/4 meter. "Chimes" is a piano/keyboard piece composed in irregular meter that somehow manages to remain relaxed, flowing, and meditative. Borrowing from the mellow rock of Steely Dan, "Bye Bye" combines Satrianiesque guitar parts with Tabor's Beatle-induced vocal harmonies to create a song that makes you scream for more! For my money, though, the two best songs are "Willie Brown" and "I'm With You", both of which sound like Gretchen-era King's X. "Willie Brown" is full of Hendrix fuzz guitar that starts in 5/4+4/4 meter and builds to a manic, fevered instrumental romp a la' "Moanjam" from the King's X album Faith Hope Love. In contrast, "I'm With You" keeps the same feel throughout, but what a feel. From the very first guitar riff, it tugs at you with a smoldering intensity that bursts into flame during the chorus where Ty breaks out the candy-flavored harmonies that are richer and brighter than anything he was ever written. With the adventurous spirit of the 70s combined with the sound and intensity of today, this is perfect music for turning up loud driving around with the top down.

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, March 1999.

Review - King's X - Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous

While not super high on the list of other fans I still find this album to be one of their better ones from the second half of their career.

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King's X has long been a band's band, creating music that has inspired the bands that have made it big but King's X has yet to find the commercial success they deserve. Judiciously using jaw-dropping amounts of musicianship, King's X mixes heavy grooves with melodic pop, topping it off with a layer of outstanding vocal harmonies. After a number of albums that were more like solo efforts by the individual members, Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous is a welcome return to group writing. At their best, the band creates a kind of musical chiaroscuro with bassist Doug Pinnick's rumbling, dark grooves and pained, earthy voice contrasting with guitarist Ty Tabor's Beatlesque leanings and ethereal vocal harmonies, all held together by the outstanding drumming of Jerry Gaskill. The result is an interesting pastiche that is far greater than the sum of its parts. Overall, the album is darker than their last release, taking the energy of Dogman and adding the kind of songwriting prowess found on Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into reworking these songs, adding extras that make for repeated listens.

"She's Gone Away" finds Tabor singing of a missing love against a simple backdrop before slamming into a heavy chorus full of layered vocals. Gaskill appears to be writing some lyrics again, as evident on the eerie "Smudge" with such lines as "At the bottom of a box of five black markers is a buried Swedish pen" and references to Mr. Wilson from their Faith Hope Love album. "Move Me", the final track, is a soaring, epic invitation to a higher power that has the same feel as "Burning Down." Though it changes almost daily, my current favorite is "Julia." Beginning with a verse that has the same feel as a minor version of the Beatles song of the same name, the group takes the listener through a tunnel of aggressive progressive rhythms to a central bridge in 3/4 time and back again. Please remain seated for the entire ride.

After seven studio albums, King's X is anxious to show that they still have more than their share of tricks... surprises wait around every corner and the song writing is more solid than they've produced in years. The amount of texture and depth in every song is absolutely amazing- there are no filler songs. Longtime fans will be delighted to hear this collection of songs whose strengths mirror those of the bands "classic Sam Taylor" period while the broad array of innovative songs will serve to draw new fans to this talented band that refuses to be a musical footnote.

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, May 2000.

Review - King's X - Manic Moonlight

Well, um, yeah. This one still isn't a favorite but once upon a time I heard them play "Static" live and it absolutely slayed me.

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The mention of King's X brings many things to mind: great melodies, rich vocal harmonies, inventive rhythms and dead-on musicianship, just to name a few. In the late 80s they pioneered a new sound that married soul with metal, a sound which brought the proverbial fame and fortune only to the many bands that copied the King's X sound. So after more than a decade, the question remains of whether a band that made its name with a then new sound should continue trying to recreate this magical mixture of their early years or should it forge ahead, breaking new ground. While last years excellent Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous fell into the former category, Manic Moonlight definitely belongs in the later. With guitarist Ty Tabor busy on more side projects than a Nashville studio musician, bassist Doug Pinnick wrote the lion's share of the material, basing most of them on rhythm tracks from Acid Foundry software, loops that in nearly all cases could easily have been removed from the final mix with no loss. In other cases, they push drummer Jerry Gaskill further back in the mix. For anyone who's heard him, Jerry definitely has a signature sound that has influenced legions of drummers and he deserves to be heard. Because Doug wrote the material, Manic Moonlight is more like a Poundhound album with Ty playing guitar: heavy on the soul and groove, light on the vocal harmonies (in fact, you can only make out Ty's voice in one track). Regardless, the songs are quite good but are a departure from the usual King's X sound. While part of me wishes for a return to their very early days, the rest of me applauds them for trying something new. Many of the songs are quite lengthy, but don't expect any intricate arrangements like "We Were Born To Be Loved" from Faith, Hope, Love. Instead, these are extended jams that would play better with a bit of judicious trimming. Some of the standout songs include the title track, which would have been at home on the Bulbous CD, "False Alarm" with it's soaring chorus melody, and "Static" which makes effective use of the drum loops, is completely different from anything King's X has done before and yet retains the King's X stamp. So it's not your father's Oldsmobile but it shares a lot of the same parts, some retooled for a new century, some just like you remember. It's a good ride, but with King's X anything less than "great" is a bit of a letdown.

This review first appeared in WhatzUp, November 2001.