AWmusic

Florida seems an unlikely place to spawn moody, cheerless and bleak music, after all – the sun! the beach! the palm trees! half-naked bodies lying in the sand! and did I mention the sun? I could see this music coming from Southern Ontario this winter but Florida? However, that is where the members of Kingsbury claim they come from. Bruce Reed – Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals; Mark Freeman – Bass;
T.J. Burke – Drums, Programming, Synth, and Samantha Christine – Guitars, have crafted a list of songs that sound depressingly like they spent the winter in Canada.

The six songs on “Lie To Me” deal with loneliness, nostalgia and the futility of war. In “Holy Wars” the narrator sings, “Our leader says we’re in a holy war. He says it’s God that we’re fighting for. But I don’t want to fight a holy war no more. No more.” This song seems to take it’s point of view from the other side of the situation, the fundamentalist Muslim. An interesting, and controversial, point of view to be sure, after all, not many people would be able to be compassionate towards those who strap bombs on themselves and blow other people up all in the name of God. Good on Kingsbury for going that route.

The EP itself seems to have been influenced by Pink Floyd and Nick Cave although you could also compare the dark themes and atmosphere with some of Bauhaus’ music, such as “Hollow Hills”. This is not music that is going to get you up dancing nor will you be whistling these tunes on the way to work, unless you work in a mortuary. This is music for those days when you just want to hide under the blankets and make the world go away. It is definitely not the music to play on your first date, your inamorata or inamorato might not appreciate the nihilism. Lyrics such as “But nothing is going to be just like I want it. Nothing is going to be as I see it. Nobody in the world seems to care.” from “As I See It” aren’t likely to win you brownie points with the apple of your eye.

The arrangements are sparse, Bruce Reed’s vocals are whispery and add to the over all melancholy of the arrangements. The production, for a home studio, are impressive. The overall sound is warm and clean, each instrument is heard without it’s getting overshadowed by another. The vocals, as I’ve already described, are whispery and mournful, I wouldn’t describe them as comfortless but it’s only cold comfort that they offer. Reed’s voice is smooth and sharp, with lovely undertones and I’m sure in full throat would be impressive indeed. Christine plays guitar and her minimalist arrangements keep the songs from becoming burdened down with endless riffs that detract from the melody. The synths offer just the right funereal atmosphere, again without getting in the way of the rest of the arrangement. There are also two instrumentals, the first cut “Oricana Mountaintop” and “Armada”.

I was not familiar with this band and was surprised to learn that they also have a full-length album, “The Great Compromise”, and two other EP’s, “The Place is Coming Down” and “The Open Sea”. Kingsbury has also toured with Matt Pond PA. They are offering their music for free on their website and ask only for a donation as you see fit. Their MySpace page says that they will be offering all their music as free downloads and will have their past EP’s and album available shortly.

“We strongly feel that the way people consume music and media is radically changing, and as technology changes, the relevance of the album will continue to come into question. Rather than try to fight a changing media climate, we would rather spend our time setting up a system that we can be as creative and constant as possible.”

I like it when bands think outside the box and recognize that the old system just isn’t working and they have to move with the times. So if you like what you hear, support these fellows with a donation so that they can continue to make creative and non-mainstream music.

Listen:

Kingsbury – Armada.mp3
Kingsbury – Back in the Orange Grove.mp3
Kingsbury – Holy War.mp3

Kingsbury on MySpace
Kingsbury on the web: Kingsbury

Tags: EP