The Best American Band To Come From The UK
Somewhere in America’s Deep South there are wanted posters with Kingskin’s faces plastered all over, posters searching for a band that could only have come from that part of the world as their funk fed blues oozes through their Southern sounding raw rock. It’s the type of music that’s out to reclaim the gender definition, none of this skinny jean, hair straightened to within an inch of its life dripping in product for these guys, oh no. In Kingskin’s world men are men, there’s no blurring of the gender roles. Their music is a fist full of hard hitting, rough around the edges meat to get your chops into, the type that’s searching for a dank bar to pick a fight in whilst emitting more cool than is humanely possible. The only difference is this quartet aren’t from the Deep South, indeed they’d be more likely to find their bar in their native Dover, but that doesn’t mean they’re the greatest band that the Deep South never had, and one the locals are still on the hunt for. No, these guys are one of our own, thank god.
Debut album, ‘Rhyme For Smalltime’ finds the Dover four piece covering all the bases, from the emotion filled acoustic numbers through to the hefty bouts of rock that pound with chunky riffs and hammering beats whilst never losing an ounce of cool. From the stomping confidence of opener ‘Bottom Dollar’ to the full throttle clout of ‘She Got The Bomb’, right down to the raging charge of venom spat out during ‘In The Way’ as it sprints angrily by, Kingskin rough you up with glee, ripping you by the scruff of the neck before merrily slamming you against the wall and what’s more, you’ll be begging them to do it all again.
With a thumping bass line that pulsates, radiating a sleaze tinged vibe that’s as appealing as it is hedonistic, ‘Suck Me Sideways’ refuses to leave anyone immune to the band’s charm as singer Chris Lamb’s gravel toned growls and gruff tinged groans snare all. But there’s more to the four piece than rough aggression. The ballad-esque, ‘Nothing Left To Burn’ captures the band’s softer side, rippling with emotion and gentle, perfectly executed guitars whilst the brilliantly titled ‘Too Many Chiefs Not Enough Indians’ gives centre stage to the funk blues core of the band. Relegating everything else to the sidelines as groove fused beast saunter by, ‘Too Many Chiefs …’ is dripping in an unquestionable coolness before Kingskin unleash chunky riffs and noodling guitars to add a touch of grit to the mellow loveliness of the track. And even then there’s still more up their sleeves as the unnerving whisper of Lamb, leering unsettlingly throughout the lo-funk darkness of the verses of ‘Peeping Tom’ set out to scare and thrill, only making way for heartfelt acoustic driven ‘Stick Around’, dazzling with Lamb’s raw emotion to truly bring a tear to the eye. Don’t panic though, Kingskin aren’t about to leave you on a downer. Take their advice and stick around till the end of the track where the Dover lads have cheekily added a hidden gem that explodes with a chug of guitars and a blast of “ye-haw” before the quartet show their fun side with a hoe down ditty about a farmer and his cows; fun filled to guarantee they leave you smiling.
Unlike any debut album you’re likely to hear this year; ‘Rhyme For Smalltime’ is a polished, professional chunk of pure rock. It’s the type of album bands on their third or fourth studio outing would be begging to make and whilst their style may not be ground breaking, Kingskin are definitely at the forefront of their game. The best American band to come from the UK.