Album Review: King King – Maverick
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
12 years since their formation, King King’s fifth release ‘Maverick’ is another polished record full of catchy blues rock that the band have made their trademark over the years. Hugely popular within the likes of Planet Rock, who have provided the band with ample airtime over the past decade, songs such as album opener ‘Never Give In’ and ‘Fire In My Soul’ are set to be staples on classic rock stations digital airwaves for the next few months.
With a new line-up which features Alan Nimmo (vocals/guitar), Stevie Nimmo (guitar), Jonny Dyke (organ/piano), Zander Greenshields (bass) and Andrew Scott (drums), King demonstrate their credentials from the start. Opener’ Never Give In’ is a catchy, Hammond drenched song which sticks in the memory banks, Nimmo’s rich vocals carrying just enough roughness to work. First single’ I will Not Fall’ takes its lead from the melodic rock of the 1980s, dominated by the keyboards and Nimmo’s vocals and led by a thumping bass line. It’s lightweight enough to appeal to those looking for more of the same in the new wave of British classic rock.
‘Maverick’ veers towards the lighter side of the hard rock spectrum. The album contains several ballads, which slow the pace right down. ‘Whatever It Takes To Survive’ arrives early, a classic hard rock anthem which is crafted and polished, the guitar work subtle, the tempo building to the choruses. ‘By Your Side’ and ‘When My Winter Comes’ sees Nimmo and the piano work of Dyke take centre stage and will lead to couples holding hands as the band pump them out on their rescheduled UK tour next year.
King King do what they do well. Their music is polished, melodic, and aimed at a particular market. The band have worked their socks off over the past few years, with hard touring schedules and four other albums. Yet I found little to get excited about on ‘Maverick’. Most of the songs are desperately generic, albeit with the odd minor twist. The lyrics are routine, formulaic, yet deliberately catchy. Songs like ‘One World’, ‘Everything Will Be Alright’ and ‘Dance Together’ present everything I struggle with in the hard rock sphere today. Pop sensibilities surge through the songs, the saccharine coated harmonies and funk-laced bass lines, combined with lyrics that reference “burning in my soul” bounce off me like rain on the windscreen.
If you enjoy the likes of FM, Vega and Bad Touch and anything that Planet Rock deems to be ‘new rock’, then ‘Maverick’ will no doubt be of interest. The challenge for me is that when you consider the challenge of bands like Those Damn Crows, whose similar style carries a much harder cutting edge, then King King just don’t light it up in anywhere near the same way.
