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Busting out of Long Beach, CA are The Killingtons.
As opposed to the other bands that happened to grow from this
scene, The Killingtons shy away from the whole dub/ska/punk
scene. This band brings on the power and lets the guitar do
the talking. Combining elements of the indie scene and a healthy
dose of the shoegazer mentality, The Killingtons have brought
a decidedly fuzzy tone to the melodic rock of today.
The opening track, "Magnum" lets this fact
be known. The band dwells in the ethereal, yet heavy side
of things. Think My Bloody Valentine hanging out with Catherine
Wheel. You indie rock fans will enjoy the vocal contributions...tuneful,
yet reminiscent of the best parts of Steven Malkmus. It's
damn loud and full of melodic strong points. The comparisons
still ring true on the following "All My Friends Are Vampires."
The thick guitar work could remind you of Sunny Day Real Estate,
but in my mind, I think again of Catherine Wheel's early,
thick guitar. The chorus just sucks you in with its immediate
hook. I'm starting to sink further into this record. Do you
like a bit of that Unrest sounding guitar? Check out the rampaging
"Belly Dancer" with it's driving guitar choruses and textural
verses. I love the interplay between the guitar and the bass
during the verses. The soothing intro to "In Memory" is complimented
by an airy vocal pattern. JK's vocals find an open area to
float into, nestling up next to the textural melody. This
one culminates in a wash of vocal and guitar, completely swallowing
the listener in a wave of emotion. They return to their driving
edge for "Destination Failure." They do a fantastic job of
switching from hard core attack to subtle textural awareness.
JK continues to invite the listener into his world with his
heart-felt delivery (should we call these guys "emo-core"....
don't really know-I don't really care.) This tune bleeds effectively
into the pop laden groove of "Best I Know." If I were to draw
comparisons here, I'd say Bob Mould would be on the top of
the list. "Ninety Three" brings the sparse elements of the
band to the front. The effected vocals, keyboard tracks and
bubbling drums lay out the perfect bed for the band's Edge-reminiscent
guitar licks. They float in and out of every rhythmic cranny
available while never overwhelming the rest of the instrumentation.
This one is height of the band's ethereal dabblings. And what
a wonderful piece it is. Then there's "Time Set To Kill."
More brilliance! (Dig that bass and guitar chord thing!) Stop
me before I explode!
This is one Hell of an engaging and encompassing
record. It is very easy to find yourself bobbing your head
and immersing yourself in the heavy yet melodic ensemble.
Other bands would be lucky to create a debut record with this
much energy, melody and emotion. Hats off to this up and coming
band-you've got this reviewer hooked. Their thick and engaging
sounds has this shoegazing punk guy yearning for more. Don't
be surprised if this record finds a place on the best of 2000
list for me. Do yourself a favor and check out this record.
-tom topkoff
Track Listing:
1. Magnum
2. All My Friends Are Vampires
3. Belly Dancer
4. Time Set To Kill
5. Balladovie
6. Staring At Concrete
7. Ninety Three
8. Destination Failure
9. Best I Know
10. In Memory
11. Bent
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