If it takes When You Motor Away to lead the coverage for Repulsive Sunsets EP, the new release from King Post Kitsch, then we'll do it. And we'll take the point position with our usual disregard for our personal safety, as well as the rules of spelling, grammar and common sense. We only care about the music anyway.
Where was I? Oh yes -- Repulsive Sunsets EP. The first essential thing to know about the music fashioned by Glasgow's Charlie Ward and his musical-alter-ego-which-has-developed-into-a-real-live-band King Post Kitsch is that the songwriting really is a cut above most of what is out there. And the really remarkable thing about that quality is that Charlie manages aggressive garage stompers, acoustic folky songs, and everything in between (well, no disco or EDM yet) with convincing mastery. Perhaps this effect is at least partially due to Charlie's work as a sound engineer, or perhaps it is the inevitable outcome of a dark arts ritual (the latter is beyond or expertise since our goth intern failed to return from a latte run).
The second essential thing is the ability of Charlie and the band to assure you that they are all-in on the music. If you're going to devote the time to listen, they are going to play with passion and drip sweat to make it worth your while. Would you like to sample it? Of course you would. Here is the lead and title track -- dare I suggest that it is a thinking man's garage anthem?
The second track, "Every Face", displays the band's restraint, and serves as a bridge to the the moody and faster-paced "Blood and Glitter". In this track, the spare instrumentation -- first a repetitive guitar line and then a piano -- frame and highlight the lyrics.
With track four, "Make the Same Faces Whether Fuck or Fight", we are in garage-stomper territory with a a roots freak-out on guitar and a bit of distortion. The lyrics are simple, but one of life's simple truths doesn't necessarily require footnotes, does it?
The EP closes with an acoustic version of the title track. A little percussion and guitar and a solo vocal performance which allows you to appreciate the lyrics. And those lyrics -- a large dose of delicious bitterness wrapped in a pretty song. It really provides a fine close to the album.
And this brings us to the final essential thing about King Post Kitsch -- when you get finished exploring this EP, his 2011 LP The Party's Over, and if you were lucky enough, some of his prior work which isn't available now, you'll wish that Charlie stopped eating, drinking and trying to live a life because we need more King Post Kitsch. I think he's being a wee bit selfish. However, with a live band for the first time, this release has the feel of a coming out party, so let's cut the debutante some slack as I think there is more to come.
Repulsive Sunsets EP is released by Edinburgh's Song By Toad Records, and it is out now.
Website
Soundcloud
Bandcamp (for prior LP and a single)
Twitter ( @kingpostkitsch )
Song By Toad Records
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