February 5th, 2016.
I woke up and started to get ready for my 9 AM class. As I wiped the last bit of sleep from eyes and groggily checked my email on my phone the realization that the day I had been waiting months, okay let’s be honest years, for was here. The notification from Apple was in my inbox, KING had dropped their new album and since I preordered it the work was already in my library.
I waited until I was alone and would have time to truly take in all that the ladies had for me. I’ve been a fan of theirs since 2011 and after hearing The Story EP I longed for more music. Over the years we’ve got a single here and there and though each song has been its own unique display of their magnificent talent one song or feature never felt like enough. I always wanted more. Well as of two weeks ago I got just that.
It’s seldom to find artists who you feel authentically produces their own product. They are not constrained by labels or fads or what’s popular in the current music scene but only put out what they want to put out. KING has always been that group for me. I may have to wait some time for a product but when I receive it I always know it was well worth the wait. This album is no different.
From the start of the album, you know this is about to be an exciting ride. I was grooving with “The Right One” and cruised on over to “The Greatest”-which we’ve had access to for some time now. I’d heard “Red Eye” live two years ago and it sounded just as good as it did then. Next we hit the first of the three extended mixes of the original songs from The Story EP. The extra 2-3 minutes are worth it for every single one.
A little further into the album is easily my favorite track,”Carry On.” This track sounds like a lullaby and a spiritual all at once. Their voices sound amazing, as they do on all their work, but something special happens here. It almost sounds like one, melodic voice but you can still hear the individual tones and notes of each singer’s voice. There is not a group out right now that masters harmony like KING and “Carry On” is the perfect example of this mastery.
The rest of the album is a pleasant cruise to the final song “Native Land” in which the ladies perform an ode to history, heritage, and lineage. Each song sounds like a necessary piece of one giant puzzle of music. All of the songs flow yet have the small nuances to make them memorable all on their own. As KING fans we finally have what we’ve waited for, a full-length album that preaches love, soul and beauty with effortless grace and talent.
Tags: entertainment, KING, music, R&B, Soul, We Are King, woc, women of color
0 Comment