Like a fat kid jumping off a diving board, The Future Kings of Nowhere have made a giant splash in the pool of today’s musical mode. Durham natives, The Future Kings have assembled an album fit for royalty. These guys know how to rock, and their new self-titled album shows just that.
From the first note, The Future Kings leap from your speakers with a blast of calculated guitar strumming, complimented by superb drumming and the unique voice of Shayne O’Neill. “Lather, Rinse, Repeat,” the title track, gives listeners their first taste of an exclusive genre the band likes to call “acousticore.” Acousticore, a fusion of pop-punk antifolk, lightning fast acoustic guitars and a bit of country twang produces a unique, yet smooth sound.
As the album progresses, the eclectic sound of The Future Kings continues to impress and excite. As you listen to each new song, don’t be surprised if you are filled with excitement much like children on Christmas morning as they rip the wrapping off of their first presents.
The Future Kings’ sound, vaguely reminiscent of bands such as Cake and Of Montreal, gives the listener a sense of comfort and familiarity while at the same time making sure the listener stays aware of its individuality and unique blend.
Giddy and full of wonder, you will soon begin to look forward to each song’s pleasant harmonies, melodies and the delightful uniqueness many bands lack. O’Neill’s lyrics, while easy to understand, are far from meaningless. Chronicling a failed relationship from first meeting to bitter breakup, O’Neill craftily sews metaphors, phrases and subtle humor into tightly-woven sheets of lyrical silk.
From a killer calmly telling the tale of his crimes to the story of a badger and a rabbit digging a hole to China, O’Neill defiantly says what we already know: “I’m gonna play guitar, until I’m a star, and I become a household name.” If the Future Kings of Nowhere’s first album is any indication of what is to come for this band, its coffee-stained songs written on paper napkins are about to make history. It seems to this author there is only one direction for them to go in, and it’s not down.
Jump on the bandwagon and pick up the CD — I can promise you won’t be disappointed, and soon, like me, you will become a member of the band’s royal entourage.
