King Goon Releases Debut Album

King Goon is one of those acts that probably has a difficult time explaining the exact essence of their sound to people. They use the term, Ska, prominently, but it’s only a partially accurate description, honestly. King Goon is a band who is as equally defined by their vibe as they are their sound. Make no mistake though, the musicianship is exemplified on their debut album, Admit Nothing! Deny Everything! Lie! Lie! Lie!, is nothing short of exceptional. The English outfit will be releasing their recently completed album at the end of March, and it’s bound to be a defining moment for them.

“Gambling Fool,” opens up the record and it sounds as though Thin Lizzy discovered Ska and had an epiphany. It is most elegantly true/the house will always fall on you, might be one of the most delicious lyrics on the entire album. King Goon maintain their confident swagger on “Three Cheers For The Fat Italian.” It seems like it’s deliberately crafted to be a cliché of sorts. It’s either a condemnation of culture appropriation, or an inside joke, but either way it’s another strong addition to the record.

“Tops Off Real Fighting” is a splendid ball of Rock and Alternative, that gives way to a surge of Modern Punk. King Goon knows how to get the most out of a chord progression, and it shows here. “Eyes Everywhere Eyes,” doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to get anywhere, anytime soon. That is, until the song suddenly and somewhat violently implodes into an unforeseeable breakdown. There are eyes/everywhere eyes, tells us all we need to know about what the band is saying here.

“Call It A Day” is typical Ska fare, in that it’s neither offensive or exceptional. It gives the album some balance in terms of spacing out its more climactic moments. “Just Whose Side Are You On,” poses that question in the most delicate of ways. This track is short and sweet, and features some of the most accommodating vocal work on the entire album. This section of Admit Nothing.., is a bit of a reset in preparation for what is to come.

On “Language Of War,” King Goon unleashes their secret weapon in the form of an absolutely scorching saxophone performance. You really have to go out of your way to hear this, as no descriptive language, no pun intended, can do it justice. This song is a reminder of how politics have done more to alienate people from one another, than unite them. “Pretty Words,” closes the album, and leaves us with a fitting climax in the form of an episodic finale. I’m not sure exactly what King Goon set out to achieve with this album, but from my perspective, they’ve exceeded any preexisting expectations.

Mindy McCall