King Friday - I wanna hold you gland

King Friday 

I wanna hold your gland
self-released; 2013

4.0 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

King Friday is on a roll or maybe they are just that good as songwriters. King Friday’s previous releases This is Supposed to Be Fun and Let Him Eat Cake (Song of Birds) were lacking something. No, not incredibly memorable songs that sounded like a throwback to some of the best songwriters from the 60’s and 70’s because it had that but it was lacking one thing - drums. King Friday’s latest release entitled I Wanna Hold Your Gland” contains drums which give the songs a more of beatles-esque feel than a Paul Simon vibe that was present on their previous releases. The songs here are just as catchy, well thought and memorable as their other albums. If there is one issue I had with the album it would be that with the drums weren’t as clear as they could have been which muddied up some of the songs. I would have loved to hear these songs with the drums recorded in a professional studio. Besides that the vocals sounded clear and vibrant while the acoustic guitars sounded crisp. The songs are short but manage to feel like fully fleshed-out ideas - something that was sometimes missing in their previous releases.

“Baptize My Brain” is a catchy opener that exudes a playful, poppy feel that could easily be playing in the background as older men frolic in fields. Why they are doing this, I have no idea but this song would be playing. “All Right With You” is a song that would sound right at home playing on the radio aside “Penny Lane” in 1967. It has an instant classic type of vibe that gets stuck in your head before you know it. Possibly my favorite song on the album was “Fol-de-rol,” which was a dynamic, inspired song that seemed to have an almost perfect balance of sincerity  and melancholy. Another highlight was “So I’ll Be” which seemed to hit all the right points. The vocals were a standout here as the lead singer’s voice dripped with warmth and seemed to eloquently soar when the chorus hit. The album ends with “Daze” which is an introspective song but doesn't feel inappropriately heavy with the rest of the album.

So after three great albums in less than a year where does King Friday go from here? If I were their manager I would suggest getting in a professional studio to polish their sound. King Friday have an undeniable talent that is far and between these days and hope they continue to impress with their stellar songwriting and craftsmanship. 

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