The yelling-cum-singing of lead singer Morgan Jones makes the tight pop/rock of "For the Birds" a welcome change from most bands. Here Jones doesn't go over the top and the rhythm section hauls its fair share, even during the early British Invasion-like chorus that only a few bands could do justice to. They also aren't afraid to sound as if they're still in a garage rehearsing, as the rollicking "Thief of Hearts" comes off as a cross between
the Mooney Suzuki and
the Soundtrack of Our Lives, while they tone things down for a sullen, moody "Hit the Mirror," which resembles early
Tom Petty. They also flesh out the ending of "Hit the Mirror" quite nicely. The album stalls somewhat during "Sand and Romance," as the group seems to take
Nirvana's tamer moments as the inspiration for this tune. The sleeper pick of the album could be "Satisfactory," with its beefy punk rock feeling as they shout the lyrics out from start to finish, winding them around the guitars without any noticeable breaks.
King Elementary rarely follow the same blueprint twice, judging by the somewhat quirky, quasi-progressive rock hue to "Far Too Familiar." The only problem with so many directions is that there really isn't any cohesion to the album, despite the well-crafted pop of "Spur of the Moment," which relies heavily on bassist Will Randolph. After a haphazard "Kisses from the Stone," the group concludes the album with a strong rock tune entitled "Sitting," which could have been placed on
Spoon's
Kill the Moonlight album. ~ Jason MacNeil