When I received the package which contained Kingsbury’s new album, The Great Compromise I had no idea what to expect. I was a Kingsbury virgin, but being familiar with the majority of Post Record’s artists, I was slightly taken aback by their dark and distant sound.
The bulk of the tracks consist of interplay between piano and guitar along with intensely driven rhythms in the percussion section. I was pleasantly surprised by this and the rich recording quality of the album. “Corpse” and “Before Dry Eyes” contain orchestral percussion which the liner notes mention as being recorded at
As far as lyrics go, lead guy Bruce Lee may have a gold mine of poetic verse to lash out, but his mumbly, whispering voice left me a bit spaced out after the second track. Lee’s exaggerated Conor Oberst impression combined with Kingsbury’s murky sound simply doesn’t encourage a continuous listen for the lively. I’m not saying that these guys exactly follow a musical blueprint but the combination of music and vocals leave the listener with an unpleasant aftertaste emo/indie tears. Hate to say it, but it sounds all too familiar. Although the majority of the songs contain a predictable movement, it’s at least clear of any screeching nasal harmonies. Sporadic female vocals in the background add a nice touch in the title track (my personal favorite).
For all prospective listeners out there, I wouldn’t anticipate any rug-cutting. The Great Compromise is highly recommended for a long, rainy drive with your cigarettes and an open window.
Kingsbury will be holding a release party on January 19th, at
Story by Alisha Torrealba