Because
Funky Kings were based around three fine songwriters, song for song their one and only release holds up much better than most country-rock records of the time.
Jules Shear,
Jack Tempchin and
Richard Stekol turn in a fine batch of tunes ranging from the
Eagle-like country-rock of
Tempchin's "Singing in the Streets" to
Shear's rocking "Let Me Go" and
Stekol's bittersweet "My Old Pals." The backing by rhythm section Bill Bodine and Frank Cotinola, and
Greg Leisz on steel, dobro and guitar, is first-rate throughout. Funky Kings remains quite listenable and stands as one of the better efforts to come out of the mid-'70s L.A. sound. ~ Brett Hartenbach