Tonight Matthew, we will be Rancid!
Every once in a while it is incredibly satisfying to stumble across a band that has all of the right ingredients to be a great band, that we can help spread the word about. Here with KC Thieves (King City Thieves) we have a perfect example of that. This is raw Street Punk, the sort that is very much in the vein of Rancid minus any Ska influences, and in fact I would think would have Lars Frederiksen drooling with satisfaction at the Rock’N’Roll influenced Punk anthems that we get here. The four piece hail from Kansas City and understand the roots of Punk, playing it with gusto and a true passion
The six-tracks on this EP have a rawness that is full of integrity, heart and soul, and whereas other demos like this sound amateurish in the recording and production, this adds to it. Yes, the vocals and music could probably do with having a professional mix it a little better, but for the most part it sounds great. We know that it was recorded with limited equipment and money, and all things considered this has better production than a lot of albums that darken my door!
First track, ‘Midwestern Wasteland’ is a great opening to the EP that has vocals that bounce back and forth between the members of the band whilst the riffs are big and frantic, and the drums and basslines chunky and true. There is a slight similarity to the great LA band, Time Again on this track. Next track, ‘Goin’ Strong’ is definitely more like Lars Frederiksen and The Bastards, with chugging guitars and a fast tempo. Then in, ‘Johnny Boy’ we have a great song that is definitely more of an anthem, sounding like a cross between Strawberry Blondes and Lawrence Arms. “So put you fist in the air!” CJ sings at one point, and it is with these rebel-rousing lyrics that the band are good at!
“No one said it was going to be easy,” CJ sings in the first line of, ‘Point Of View’ which is fitting for a Punk band that play what a lot of people might consider anti-social music. The large riffs blast out and this could almost be a slightly darker Glam band song too, like the great Toilet Boys, as the band ask, “What else do you want from me?”. ‘Might Makes Right’ has a real crossover Glam/Hard Rock meets Punk which has the catchiness of the former with the grit and punch of the latter. In the last song, ‘Seeds Of Deception’ we once again have music that isn’t just some random chugging guitars, but has breaks and a slightly more complex texture that has you believing that it is only a matter of time before this band are discovered as the great band that they are. This is more Punk rock which sneers as an anthem and a great ending to a surprisingly good EP.
In England there is a similar band, Criminal Mind, I have heard their slightly raw demos, and K C Thieves mirror the band in sound and attitude. Whilst Criminal Mind are having a helping nudge in musical life via Strawberry Blondes, I hope that either another band takes these guys under their wing, or a record label takes a chance. It’s fair to say that Tim Armstrong’s Hellcat Records could do a lot worse than give these boys a break. This is one of the most exciting unsigned Punk bands that I’ve heard in a long while. KC Thieves truly kick ass!