Not a lot surprises me in the world of punk rock anymore but when The King Blues announced their reformation in November of 2015 that was definitely an "oh my god" moment. By all accounts the break up had been very messy so for many it seemed unfathomable that the band would reunite. Since their split the people who are "running" the country keep making bad decision after bad decision, and it’s this that has helped bring The King Blues back together. First some support slots with Enter Shikari were announced, then a few smaller headline shows of their own and finally a brand new EP titled Off With Their Heads was released. This is my review of that EP.
When the news first broke about The King Blues getting back
together the headline was "Guess Who's Back And Pissed Off Again" and
this is very evident in the opening song, title track Off With Their Heads.
Opening with that very headline, the song is in the same angry style as the King
Blues classic We Are Fucking Angry. The song starts with the words "Guess
Who's Back And Pissed Off Again (the lines from the Kerrang headline), Bastards
In Power Nobody's Stopping Them, So I'm Ticking My Shit List Off Again, Now Who
Do We Kill, Blood On Our Hands, Man History’s Evil, God Save The Queen, Bald
Headed Eagle, We Bomb Innocent People To Save Innocent People, This Ain't Just
Stupid It's Stupid The Sequel". The King Blues are clearly back with a
bang and are only just getting started as this leads into the repetitive chorus
of "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" Few other vocalists do angry as well as
Jonny "Itch" Fox and still manage to get their point across. The
anger and aggression in the track transmits into a lot of energy that could
really empower people to help make a change. Incredible song writing! The
second song makes a big shift in sound and is more like traditional King Blues.
Starting Fires does something the band do incredible well: intertwining love
songs with politics. I honestly can't think of another band that have ever done
this well. Itch's vocals are much softer here and the song has much more of a
storytelling feel to it. I loved the section towards the end of the song where
the tempo of Itch's vocals quickens and acts as a build towards the final big
chorus of "Starting Fires, Starting Fires, Starting Fires, To Light Your
Way Home, To Me". Poems & Songs sees The King Blues go to their most
lovely and sweet side. Whether singing about politics or love, Itch always
manages to hit the nail right on the head with his lyrics. He's easily one of
the best writers this country has to offer in any medium. The uke-led song is
about showing somebody how much you love someone despite not having any money.
The song paints a fantastic picture in my head of Itch standing outside his
girl’s house playing the song before eventually being joined by a choir to help
sing the end of the song. For a song to create such a strong image in my head
is again some really impressive song writing. The song is actually beautiful.
The fourth song is named Opposable Thumbs and sees the band
really amp the anger back up. The song is about human beings regressing rather
than evolving. The line "Look How Far I've Come With My Opposable
Thumb" is an ironic dig at modern culture. The King Blues accuse people of
becoming greedy and selfish and only looking out for themselves on the track.
Musically the song is again very catchy and you can imagine the track going
down very well at a King Blues live show. Up next is a piano lead song called
Words. On my first listen I was pleasantly surprised with how varied Off With
Their Heads is; I was fully expecting a full-on angry and aggressive record and
none of the sincere and lovely track that are also included. I really loved the
simplicity of this song, really allowing the listener to focus on the lyrics of
the song. The song is about the power of words and trying to find the right
ones for the right occasion. This is a really interesting song for King Blues
to do as it's far from punk and could really do well in the popular music
charts if given the chance. Maybe this song might not go down so well with the
hardcore punks but the King Blues have always been about doing their own thing
so you have to respect them for that. Taxi Driver is a full speed ahead punk
rock song. Musically it's hard and fast and Itch's rapping really amps the
energy up. The song is about the life of a taxi driver and the political
conversations that you often have with them. The song talks about the often
racist and sexist views you will often find when you get chatting to your
driver. Itch is on top form throughout the song with his snarling raps and
snotty chorus. Off With Their Heads is completed with the song Pure Fucking
Love. Things are switched up again with another stripped back acoustic song.
The song starts with just Itch's vocals, his uke and some gentle drumming
before Fruitbag and Jamie Jazz join the song with their acoustic guitars. Itch
is in storytelling mode, talking about finding the special someone in your
life. The lyric that goes "Because You Always Say Never Follow The Map,
And You Always Say Be You That's Enough" is absolutely brilliant and is
one of my favourite Itch lyrics. Which is really saying something!
I'm really intrigued to know how long The King Blues had
their reformation planned before going public with it. If it all happened in a
short space of time it really says a lot about the talent of the band to get a
record of such quality written and recorded and put out in such a short space
of time. Off With Their Heads has everything you would expect from a King Blues
record, it has politics, it has love and it has smart, meaningful and catchy
lyrics. This feels like The King Blues have never been away and I hope they
don't go anywhere anytime soon. The country needs them.
Stream and download Off With Their Heads here: https://thekingblues2016.bandcamp.com/
Like The King Blues here: https://www.facebook.com/thekingblues
Stream and download Off With Their Heads here: https://thekingblues2016.bandcamp.com/
Like The King Blues here: https://www.facebook.com/thekingblues
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