Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The world has been a poorer place without the input of King King in it, of that there can be no doubt. The rich tapestry of life is only as deep and meaningful if all the players are taking part and their own story flows like wine at the aftershow of Cana. The tapestry needs to be woven closely and any interruption to the stitch and needlework is likely to cause a tear in the fabric and leave a gaping hole for the light to shine through despondently.
Such tears are soon fixed, by many a means, but it takes the skilled artistry to be found in King King to make the hole watertight and still open to the elements enough to be seen as for Reaching For The Light.
Whilst King King may have been quiet in the greater world, that’s not to say that they have been silent where it counts, grafting, being effective and toiling to a near state of perfection that can be ever achieved in this day and age in their new release Reaching For The Light, the fruit of the last couple of years since they released Standing In The Shadows has matured and taken perfect shape for the Glasgow foursome.
Reaching For The Light is quality, again it should come as no surprise to understand that. For the listener it is a resurgence of truth, of the scale of importance that King King bring to the musical table and should never be discounted as such might discount the effect that the humble bee has on the state of Humanity. All things are relative in the end and the songs that make up Reaching For The Light are considered, polished and so good that they find the nearest angel loitering around Sauchiehall Street and in the presence of eternal smoke, the halo around the head of the fallen one gets exchanged for a signed copy of the album, the angel knowing it has the far better deal.
Tracks such as the unstoppable and pressure-cooker like opener of Hurricane, I’m Waking Up, Crazy, the beautiful Eagles-like Lay With Me and the killer Rush Hour all combine to offer an insight into the world that makes King King tick with precision and hope. It is a collection of songs that slide into focus, that glide with mercy and install along the way a memory to be treasured.
Reaching For The Light offers the tapestry of music back to the listener and revels in its appreciation.
King King will launch Reaching For The Light at the London Jazz Café on May 6th. King King start their 2015 tour in Burton Upon Trent’s Brewhouse on Wednesday October 21st and fans in the Northwest can see them perform in Sale on November 13th and Morecambe on November 14th.
Ian D. Hall