Album Review: To Kill A King – Cannibals With Cutlery
Cannibals With Cutlery
Released 24th February 2013
I always thought this band had a strange name and then the title of the album was even stranger and to be honest I don’t really like it but since when would that stop me listening to something? More often than not, not judging an album by it’s titled, comes up with some rather nice surprises and this is no exception. Opening track, I Work Nights And You Work Days, has a very Elbow-esque vibe to it (musically, not vocally); it is tender and has a forlorn melody played out on the piano with a little added sweet and sour from the strings. Lyrically too it has the sadness that is played out in their Seldom Seen Kid album.
The album doesn’t all follow the lead track’s example. Tthough of course there are other slower tracks to be found, for the most part the songs are upbeat and percussion plays it’s punchy punctuating part well. But if it’s a bit of interesting plucking of strings that you like along side your percussion then you’ll possibly love Children Who Light Fires. It is a melting pot that literally bubbles its way through, with a simple vocal melody that sits a top. A clever and catchy chorus brings the track together with a nice little guitar riff that is as pretty as it is memorable.
Cold Skin was the lead single for Cannibals With Cutlery and really was the best choice because it delivers on all levels for me; points of interest, layers of vocals, punchy, memorable and the chorus that bursts right through and then of course the break down to something more stripped back that needs to be built back up again. Fans of The Killers might like this particular song, there are times where you could possibly be forgiven for thinking it was something they might have come up with.
As an album it does a great job of pulling together an interesting collection of tracks that do more than your average guitar band. There is a wealth of instruments and techniques all perfectly used, nothing is too much or too little. I don’t crave for anything to change in any way. Lyrics tell tales rather than being used as just another instrument and harmonies and backing vocals are used wisely to give added texture and sumptuousness (check out Besides She Said if you want a great example of this). The pace of the album is choppy throughout always keeping you alert and interested.
It’s not just the tempo that changes as the album bobs along and reaches climaxes and simmers, it can happen within a single song. Gasp uses this technique to its fullest. It allows the listener to really be immersed and to go on the journey as the track floats then crashes against strong tidal waves, all of course fitting nicely with the theme of water and breathing. It’s a very cleverly constructed piece and To Kill A King know exactly what they wanted to get out of this and I think they have delivered perfectly.
Overall Cannibals With Cutlery is a great album and you can hear that a lot of hard work and effort has gone into it, as well as passion. It is well produced, not over, nor under, and I think it could well appeal to a wide range of people. For a debut album I think it’s pretty impressive and I look forward to seeing how they do and what they come up with next.
poppedmusic 