KING KING – Reaching For The Light (2015)
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This year has already been a great year for fans of bluesy hard rock / classic rock, but it still manages to keep on getting better, and the new album from Glasgow’s KING KING “Reaching For The Light” definitely raises the bar for rivals to match.
“Reaching For The Light” is their 3rd album and my first approach to the guys, but after the first listen I assure you they are ready for big things.
King King did extremely well at the British Blues Awards 2014, winning awards for Album of the Year, Band of the Year, Male vocal, Bass player and and Drummer of the year (!), and as you listen to this new album you have to think they’ll be picking up a load more awards before long.
Fronted by Alan Nimmo (also guitarist), his voice is full of passion and a with remarkable amount of subtlety for a big man while his lead guitar is rocking, full of riffery and when he play the solos hits you between the eyes.
Wayne Proctor’s drumming shows just why he win the prize, and Lindsay Coulson’s groovy bass is perfect for this band, fluid but with a heartbeat that underpins the music with real granite. To that add Bob Fridzema’s Hammond and keyboards and the band gets a fully three dimensional sound that pins you in your seat but brings you along with the melodies and the rhythm too.
The album features 8 original songs plus one cover – Paul Carrack’s ‘Just a Little Lie’.
But all starts with the anthemic blues rocker ‘Hurricane’ plenty of big riffs and soaring keys, followed by the melodic ‘You Stopped The Rain’ showing Nimmo’s softer vocal side.
Then the awesome ‘Rush Hour’, deep in Bad Company territory with softly picked guitar and whispering keys leading into a huge riff, a massive chorus and a solo that will have air-guitarists everywhere reaching for their space.
‘Lay With Me’ is a lovely ballad, gospel tinged and pleading with wonderful Hammond from Fridzema and ‘Take A Look’ is a groovy slow tune in the classic rock sense. Surely this will be a live favorite for years.
There’s another stadium-ready cut in ‘Crazy’, later the aforementioned ‘Just A Little Lie’ shows that King King can funk it up too, lighter and less of a slab, but closer ‘Stranger To Love’ is THE one bringing all their power, huge choruses, melodies and riffs into a package you don’t want to end.
“Reaching For The Light” really is a stunningly good album – beautiful guitar playing, the rich tones of the Hammond organ and a strong contribution from the drums & bass combine to make some fantastic classic rock music, and then Alan Nimmo’s vocals are just the icing on the cake.
After the first single teaser one month ago I expected to like the album, but man, this has surprised me in more than a positive way.
King King plays proper bluesy classic rock with tons of consistency and sheer balls, superbly executed, and with so much heart and gusto that many ‘big names’ in the genre pales in its shadow.
Highly Recommended.
1 – Hurricane
2 – You Stopped The Rain
3 – Waking Up
4 – Rush Hour
5 – Crazy
6 – Lay With Me
7 – Just A Little Lie
8 – Take A Look
9 – Stranger To Love
Alan Nimmo – vocals, guitars
Bob Fridzema – keyboards, Hammond
Lindsay Coulson – bass
Wayne Proctor – drums
BUY IT !
www.kingking.co.uk/Merchandise.html
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