published: 27 /
6 /
2012
Label:
Sub Pop
Format: CD
Flawed and derivative, but immensely appealing pop on second album from Californian singer-songwriter, King Tuff
Review
Californian King Tuff's jolly upbeat sixties pop is a canny blend of hooks, summer harmony vocals and lightweight chords. There is no genuine highlight on this second album.
Tracks such as 'Stranger' rely too much on impersonating both Marc Bolan's nasal sneering vocals and Alan Vega's shrieking yell. King Tuff did grow up on the right stuff though.
The album does make a fine listen yet I would like to have heard words and vocals of much greater clarity, in the same way that both Chris Stamey and Alex Chilton immediately caught your attention with their forcefulness. When King Tuff is, however, at his most upfront on 'Hit & Run', I thought he sang "healing nun".
This pastiche of great, mainly American pop music is though rather tremendous.Skiffle, indie, psycho blues and even melodic synth pop are all there yet in the end, you simply want him to be clearer spoken. An entry to my 2012 top 50 albums nevertheless!
Track Listing:-
1
Anthem
2
Alone & Stoned
3
Keep On Movin'
4
Unusual World
5
Bad Thing
6
Loser's Wall
7
Stranger
8
Baby Just Break
9
Stupid Superstar
10
Evergreen
11
Swamp Of Love
12
Hit & Run
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/kingtuffy/
https://www.subpop.com/artists/king_tu
https://twitter.com/kingtuffy
Label Links:-
https://www.subpop.com/
https://www.facebook.com/subpoprecords
https://plus.google.com/+subpop
https://twitter.com/subpop
http://subpop.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/subpoprec