MORE
Pitch Perfect Indie Music Album Reviews
Last year Kingdom of Mustang released their eponymous release which we reviewed here at Divide and Conquer. The band is back with More which sounds like an appropriate title for another effort.
Suffice it to say the band likes to put a lot of music on their albums. Their previous release had seventeen songs and so does this one. I have to be honest that I always felt the sweet spot for a rock album was ten songs, maybe give or take a song or two depending on filler. That being said I’m a bit old school and like to listen to an album continuously from beginning to end so my patience starts to become a factor. If you are the one who likes to skip around this will be less of an issue.
More contains a distinct old school flavor rock/pop flavor to it. You can hear elements of bands like The Beatles, some alternative ’90s bands like Gin Blossoms, R.E.M as well as bands like The Replacements. This is music that I distinctly remember being fairly popular when I was a teenager in the ’90s. I think for a short while some would label this as “college rock” for at least some of their music.
The band does a good job or creating a foundation with these songs. Their songs are warm and don’t go into hard rock territory. They go for gentle fuzz on their guitars rather than a hair raising type of distortion. Suffice it to say the songs are easy on the ears. I mean this as a compliment. They are the types of songs you can put on at summer BBQ while still having a pleasant conversation with a coworker who isn’t all that interesting.
Perhaps the most notable quality about the band was their ability to write a hook. They are sort of like Steely Dan in that respect - tons of warm rocks with hooks that you will remember. Songs like “Summer Again” and “Mr. Normal” have a familiar aesthetic and structure of plenty of rock bands but it’s their ability to integrate their own original melodies that will make you enjoy it.
Considering what the kids are listening to these days a release like this will obviously be more appreciated by a certain age demographic more than others. I would say I’m in that demographic. On that note, these songs have a universal appeal in my opinion. Take a listen.
by Claire Fullerton on Amazon Music
Right out of the gate on Kingdom of Mustang’s, More, opening number Sunshine Again begins the bright mood. In the midst of a compelling, jangled intelligence, Mark Roebuck’s resonating vocals get up under the note to ride its cresting wave with nuanced character so ageless and accessible you’ll want to play it repeatedly. I say this because I did, as I did with each of the 17 feel-good songs that held me captive in their poignant, singular vignettes. Kingdom of Mustang’s More is a joyride through one complex sound picture after another, with flowing structure, poignant power-chords, gorgeous melodies, and intricate guitar layering that will please everybody. Those of us who have followed Mark Roebuck devotedly from early Deal days will marvel at his distinguished evolution while in the midst of an assembly of musicians I found utterly jaw-dropping. Seasoned musicians will tip their hat in reverence to this compilation of well-wrought tunes that test the fringes of neat power-pop music, and the layman will glory in its lambent, melodic moments: “Setting the World on Fire” and “The Story We Tell” being cases in point. There’s not an unaffecting moment in More’s thorough constancy, simply put, one highlight follows another. Combined, it is a delightful experience: a canticle to the power of music itself and a gift of a collection you’ll love forever.