The Kings (are here)-1980

“Nothin matters but the weekend, from a Tuesday point of view, like a kettle in the kitchen, I feel the steam begin to brew”

-Switchin to Glide-

That’s one of the lines that everybody knows from the song that everybody in the world knows. The featured single from this Canadian debut went on to characterize this band as a One Hit Wonder….unfairly I think. Actually, they were a two hit wonder when you consider the merging of Switchin to Glide and This Beat Goes On. The album went Gold in Canada and subsequently Platinum after a re-release with bonus tracks. Any number of those songs on this release could have been and should have been monster hits. The band had recorded the tracks in Toronto catching the ear and interest of producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Kiss). While agreeing to mix the album, the decision was made to start again from the beginning and recut everything. The result is a group of songs with stupendous hooks and great melodies under the guidance of a seasoned producer. There’s great character in the singing of David Diamond with a great “snarl and attitude” in some of the heavier tracks like My Habit, Go Away and Anti Hero Man. He shines in the less edgy songs like Love Store and Don’t Let Me Know, where he doesn’t push his voice too much. Some cool guitar playing from Mr. Zero with no guitar solos really per say. There is however really cool statements throughout most of the songs giving it just enough of a “rock” feel to satisfy those of us that like that sort of thing. Great guitar lick in the intro to My Habit, proving it doesn’t always have to be busy to be good. It’s just one well recorded arpeggiated chord but once the band kicks in, it’s rock city!  I have always loved that quote from U2’s The Edge.

“Notes are expensive why spend them all at once?”

I highly recommend this record for any road trip in the car. It’s wife friendly, if you can’t get away with Blue Oyster Cult or Uriah Heep. Over the last few years the band has been playing gigs all over the US and Canada and has recently fought very hard to buy the rights to all their music back from Electra.They were successful, so now you know that if you buy their material, they get the dough. Good news indeed.