The King Blues. Heard of them? No, I hadn’t either until a few weeks ago. So much music, so little time…
I was recently put onto The King Blues by a mate of mine who was visiting from the UK (cheers, Mark). One listen to ‘What If Punk Never Happened’, and I was taken. The track is a clear standout from the album ‘Save the World, Get The Girl’. Reminiscent of The Streets in terms of vocal delivery, and Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip in terms of subversive hip-hop invention, this is an unmistakably British sound.
The lyrics alone make this a standout track. With angry intelligence, they speak of a genuine love for punk. They speak of a love for the world-changing musical movement, and the everlasting effect that a style of music had. Doing this with a frankly staggering drum beat – simple, but conveying huge power – is outstanding. Musical innovation: right there.
Check them out.