If you ever wanted (or needed) proof that the blues was in the rudest of health, you need only consider the albums released in the first half of this year alone. Joe Bonamassa unleashed his amazing live set, ‘muddy wolf’, Dan Patlansky hit it out of the park with his stunning ‘dear silence thieves’ and now this, ‘reaching for the light’, a hard-rocking beast of an album from the Glasgow-based King King. With two highly acclaimed albums already under their belt, (2011’s ‘take my hand’ and 2013’s ‘standing in the shadows’) it is fair to say that this third offering comes with a fair degree of expectation attached to it but, far from crumpling under the pressure, the four-piece have thrived upon it, coming up with the goods and then some on ‘reaching for the light’, a nine-track thrill ride that will have you leaping around the room with joy. Clearly under no illusions as to their unique power guitarist and vocalist Alan Nimmo astutely noted that the album is “faster, louder, more energetic, more exciting. It’s got the potential to blow the roof off.” He’s right, you know.
The album opens with ‘Hurricane’, an aptly titled cracker that assumes the force of the titular weather event and tears through the room in a whirl of Thin-Lizzy-loving guitars and Wayne Proctor’s furious drumming. It’s the sort of hard-driving song that Buddy Guy likes to let loose with when seeking to overawe a festival and between Bob Fridzema’s stabs of Hammond Organ and Lindsay Coulson’s taut bass lines, this is one hell of an opener. ‘You stopped the rain’ is a powerful, evocative song written about Alan’s brother who had to struggle with throat cancer. Intelligently written, poignant but never maudlin, it’s a beautiful song that encapsulates perfectly the worry and sense of powerlessness that comes when a loved one goes into hospital, channelling it into a stunning chorus that will stick with you for days. Next up is the smooth, creamy blues of ‘Waking up’ which has a driving beat, understated guitars worthy of Mark Knopfler and yet another stunning chorus to keep it all together. Despite a misleading title ‘Rush hour’, based around lyrics Alan wrote when he was sixteen, is a restrained and heart-felt number which brings to mind Joe Bonamassa at his most tender (think ‘sloe gin’), and which builds beautifully over the course of its five-minute run time.
Emerging from a haze of feedback, ‘Crazy’ has a funky bassline underpinning it and just a touch of David Coverdale in the lust-fuelled lyrics. Alan’s voice has just enough grit to give the song an edge whilst you can picture the band getting into the groove behind him. It’s time for a touch of soul next as Bob Fridzema leads the way on piano for ‘Lay with me’, a touching song with a chorus to die for. There’s more funk around the corner, however, for the cocky ‘Just a little lie’ which struts its stuff with wah-laden guitar and Lindsay Coulson’s wonderful bass work which would not sound out of place on ‘houses of the holy’. The band slip into classic rock mode for the ballad ‘Take a look’ which recalls the likes of Thunder and Live with its passionate delivery and gritty guitars. The album spins to an end with ‘Stranger to love’, a smooth piece of late night blues that sees the album out on a high with another song that sees the band riffing in similar territory to Bonamassa whilst maintaining their own sound. It’s the perfect end to an album filled with glorious highs and soft, creamy quieter passages, and it cements the notion that when making ‘reaching for the light’, King King were keen to take the listener on a journey from ecstasy-inducing start to soft, smoky finish.
Overall ‘Reaching for the light’ is one of those classic blues albums that grabs you by the throat from the get go, and you’ll certainly find yourself coming back to the album time and again in the coming months. The band have a real chemistry and the song-writing here comes second only to the band’s musicianship. Throughout the album you get the impression that the band were heavily emphasising quality over quantity and the nine tracks here are ruthlessly pared back so that the band’s impressive skills are utilised always in service of the song and there is never a hint of ego-massaging or overindulgence at the expense of the wonderful melodies on offer. King King are one of those special bands where each member brings their own unique element to the mix and the result is ‘reaching for the light’, an album that you’ll undoubtedly still treasure years from now.
UK TOUR DATES (Tickets Here)
LONDON JAZZ CAFÉ Wednesday May 6 (Album Launch)
BURTON UPON TRENT, BREWHOUSE Wednesday October 21
BURY ST. EDMUNDS, THE APEX Thursday October 22
HARPENDEN, PUBLIC HALLS Friday October 23
TAVISTOCK, THE WHARF Saturday October 24
COVENTRY, THE COPPER ROOMS Sunday October 25
CARLISLE, THE OLD FIRE STATION Tuesday October 27
HOLMFIRTH PICTUREDROME Thursday October 29
CLITHEROE, THE GRAND Friday October 30
GLENROTHES, ROTHES HALL Saturday October 31
YORK, FIBBERS Sunday November 1
CHESTERFIELD, REAL TIME LIVE Tuesday November 3
HULL, FRUIT Wednesday November 4
FROME, CHEESE AND GRAIN Friday November 6
SHOREHAM, ROPETACKLE ARTS Saturday November 7
BROMSGROVE, ARTRIX Thursday November 12
SALE, WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE Friday November 13
MORCAMBE, THE PLATFORM Saturday November 14
SHREWSBURY, THEATRE SEVEN Sunday November 15
