A thought on Silent Planet: I'm struck by how solidly in place the King's X sound is here. It's as if it arrived pretty much fully developed. Obviously we now know they spent years playing and searching for that sound. But unlike a lot of bands they were fortunate enough to go through their evolution out of the public eye, not on record, unless you count their independent release "Sneak Preview". Its like, you put this debut album on and there it is; that is King's X. That sound is there. You didn't have to wait three or four albums.
That's the main reason why I was disappointed in Dogman when it came out. Brendan O'Brien totally dropped that huge aspect of the KX sound. No harmony vocals. Just the lead singer (Doug for most of the tracks). It was supposed to take them to the next level but of course that didn't happen. I liked the return to their more classic sound with the next album more (Ear Candy). Not to say Dogman is not a good album - it is a great one! I believe that the secret sauce to the KX sound that some of us really love - the sound of the first three albums - is due to the production by Sam Taylor, giving the band's music some special sauce on top. You can hear some of that same sauce on albums he produced for Atomic Opera (For Madmen Only) and although it's been awhile since I listened to them I think that the 1st two Galactic Cowboys albums have that sound also (?). I compare that to the same way that the Rush hit their pinnacle(s) with Terry Brown at the helm. Not to get too far off track of KX but Terry Brown gave Fates Warning the same special sauce with my two fave FW albums, A Pleasant Shade of Gray and Disconnected.
I agree Sam Taylor helped to define their sound. But the guy was a terrible manager. He screwed them over. But we can go into detail about that when we get to the end of the 4th album, which is when they cut ties with Sam. Also agree about Dogman and Ear Candy. Again, we will hit those points in more detail when we get there.
Yeah, there are plenty of reasons why Sam got the boot...with Atomic Opera and Galactic Cowboys as well...he even did an album with CCM perennials Third Day, that they have somewhat distanced themselves from...NOT a good guy...
From a transcript of a talk at Wheaton College in 2007: "He described turning down a chance to join Kansas, choosing to stick by his own band. He also said that his management once rejected an invitation for him to join Deep Purple - something Doug himself didn't hear about until much later."
About 20 years ago I made a mix CD of "Best Of King's X" with songs from multiple albums resequenced together. Anything from the first 3 albums flowed seamlessly..... The self-titled had a slightly different sound, and then the Dogman tracks stuck out like a sore thumb.
You were able to limit that to 1 disc? I can never get below, like 4 discs...LOL I saw the changes in Dogman (as well as other changes to come) as growth and exploration...not sure I would want everything to still sound like the first three - great as they are...I find several tracks to love on every release...
As I said earlier, I may be too close to comment...but I really feel like each album has its own sound. Dogman doesn't sound like the first 4, but it also doesn't sound like Bulbous or Manic Moonlight.
I agree. I like bands that grow and explore. But I think that the sound they established on the first four albums did get a little lost along the way. I felt they were sort of sacrificing a bit of what made them King's X to satisfy record company expectations of hits. Having said that, I too have found much to love on all their albums. I have even come to terms with Manic Moonlight. Certainly one I struggle with for sure! As for Black like Sunday... well...
I get that people struggle with BLS, but take it for what it is. Re-recordings of old songs...sort of a nostalgia project. I love it.
Wonder "Wonder" starts abruptly as the previous track, "Power of Love", fades directly into it. Because of this I always listen to this song in conjunction with "Power of Love". It feels wrong to separate them. The song was, according to Ty Tabor, a truly collaborative effort, being built up from a jam/writing session during work on Out of the Silent Planet. Most of the lyrics were collaborative as well, with Jerry Gaskill providing the pre-chorus. Tabor wrote the opening riff. Ty Tabor: "Lyrically it's about life. About all the questions and confusion of life, and all the road signs that we see that turn out to be just commercials and not truth, and how much that can cloud you of real life." This is war This is peace Quiet roars Of silent screams It makes me think It makes me deal With the situation How do I feel? There's a wall between us A partition of sorts And it makes me wonder There's a sign ahead Says it's gonna be okay And it makes me wonder Should I go to the front? Or should I go to the back? Should I just pray? Or should I attack? This is church This is state Rock-n-roll Amazing grace It makes me think It makes me deal With the situation How do I feel? There's a wall between us A partition of sorts And it makes me wonder There's a sign ahead Says it's gonna be okay And it makes me wonder Should I go to the front? Or should I go to the back? Should I just pray? Oh, or should I attack? Should I go to the front? Or should I go to the back? Should I just pray? Or should I attack? Oh-oh-oh It makes me wonder, yeah Said it makes me wonder
Yea I knew the story behind the album. And if the songs had been any good it might be interesting. But after the weak Manic Moonlight and a patchy live album I was sorely needing a good solid record. And they chose to make BLS. But we can talk about it more when we get there.
I found the quote in the Oral History book I referenced earlier about "Goldilox" not being released as the first single by Sam Taylor: Doug Pinnick: "I was told that Sam Taylor said that he wouldn't allow that to happen, because he didn't want our career to go too fast. He thought that 'Goldilox' would be such a big hit that we wouldn't be able to control it ... He said, 'Don't put it out yet'. Which was a big mistake." Jerry Gaskill: "I don't know why we didn't do that. I really don't know why. Maybe because we did not want to be known for a ballad? I don't know."
Power Of Love I like the production on this song. It avoids being too cluttered, and there's lots of space for each instrument to live within. Also, the unique texture of Doug's voice really comes to the fore on this track--particularly during the verse that follows Ty's guitar solo.
Wonder This is my least favorite track from side one of this album. It's not bad by any means, but it is overshadowed a bit by the tunes on either end. I like the acoustic section the best with the following heavier "There's a wall between us" section following behind. The jerky "Should I go to the front?" part I'm less enamored with. It sounds a bit forced to my ears. Still, a good track among collection of very good to great tunes.
Like I mentioned, I tend to listen to this one in conjunction with "Power of Love" because they run together. But now that I think about it I don't think I've ever, maybe rarely, listened to it on its own. Maybe that speaks to an inherent weakness I've never considered before. But reading your thoughts made me think about it. Never thought about it until now. Still very likeable.
I’ve never heard that, and I can’t imagine how that would’ve even come up, unless they thought they needed a bass player.
Have to thank 89.5 WSOU for getting me into Kings X. They played a bunch of songs from Out Of The Silent Planet when it came out and would always play those first few records. Loved them from the fist time I heard them. I don't think I ever saw one of their videos before. How Goldilox never crossed over, I'll never know. That has hit written all over it.
I must have had the opportunity to see them 50 times since 1988 but I never have. There was always something that came up. It's a pretty much a running joke at this point.
