The Kin are not new to this blog. If you have followed me at all, you will know the band consisting of the musical brothers and note that I have covered their career, interviewed them a great deal and watched their music develop.
The Kin 1
The Kin 2
The Kin 3
The Kin 4
The Kin 5
The Kin 6
The Kin 7
The Kin 8
The Kin 9
The Kin 10
The Kin 11
The Kin 12
The Kin 13
The Kin 14
The Kin 15
Ok so I like talking about The Kin and I have interviewed them in person and on the phone several times. Met with them and had coffee several times. It’s fun and they are serious about their music– in a way that I find quite unique among a variety of the current crop of musicians. There’s a depth and clarity in their music that’s not often found with many musicians who are opting for the “pop life” (a nod to Josh Kelley).
Their latest CD is entitled The UPside and it’s quite a different take from the evolution of Rise and Fall, their first and redone engineered first CD to drop. While Rise and Fall was very heavy on the philosophy, history and other aspects of life — there was a distance within it that was heavy emotionally yet distant. If you haven’t heard it, you won’t understand what I am saying but Thorry said it best, the cd was not about them, it was more generically about mankind.
Painting by CX smAsh
If you are familiar with the Rise and Fall and even if you aren’t, this new CD, the UPside is truly an evolution in The Kin’s music as well as who they are as people. The music is richer because they are working with a full band behind them and even some sweetening.
Waterbreaks is an older song that rose out of Rise and Fall and it’s so much better, richer and more fleshed out — a call for self-awakening and awareness (a familiar theme that resonates throughout their music). The harmonies are amazing and really enrich this song though live it’s pretty potent without all the extras.
One Thing has a great melodic line and the guitar line is reminiscent a bit of something from a Billy Squires song — for about a phrase– but it’s something that I picked up. The lyrics and upbeat music make this an ideal radio release– particularly because of lyrics that while approached from a pop beat, there’s some serious meaning behind them.
So what if I fall, deeply and fall, out of your love into the wayside
Would you sing me a line, some words to entwine
Cause I got the fever, what’s the wait for
You blow me away, I’m down on my knees
This love’s a disease that I would pay for
You die before you die
And love’s the reason why
Never Be the Same is a song that shows off the depth, the philosophical bent that these two brothers take in approaching their music and life. For them, music is something that is more than just a half-a$$ melody and lyrics. They work it till it’s right with them. This song has takes you places that you might not want to visit – in your mind, soul, heart, emotional places that you fear to go– but this song can be quite healing in the resonance of the philosophy and also spiritual meaning of the lyrics.
You and I is a song that seems fitting that it comes so much on the heels of Never Be the Same. The piano playing of Issac is amazing and it’s crucial to the backing for Thorry’s voice. It’s about love but it’s not always about men and women– but brothers, family. Thorry’s voice is stronger, richer and Issac provides a solid bass line for him and echoing background. The echoing of this song is meant to be thought out and heard over and over. It will melt into your brain– becoming one with your heart.
Highest Place is an interesting song simply because it’s counter-intuitive initially to the trend that is typically The Kin’s music.. yet after listening to it about 25-50 times (no lie), the bass line crisp in the background, the lyrics show you something about love requiring some risk and some work. It’s not easy and it’s not a guarantee and it can be painful — but they ask for someone to stay a while– to test it out.
Never Be The Same
THE KIN | MySpace Video
Never Be the Same
The UPside Cover
Animals so different from the rest of the collection yet absolutely in tune with prior music they have written and definitely something that is perfect for Issac’s piano and it speaks of the human-kind being animals and it’s about their lack of awareness or vision in what is being shown, given or offered by the universe. It’s a didactical awareness. The harmonies are incredible. This is one great song if you can get past the initial chorus and dig into the lyrics.
The UPside is s story of two lovers and it’s time for someone to take a stand and stop the fighting between two people, two lovers. The alternating voices of the two brothers, shows off the differences yet the exquisite harmonies of their voices. It’s an uplifting song if you are running through desperate times– and it can dig deep into your heart and soul and become embeded there. It’s enough to move one to tears– because there’s a question whether the pair can make it.
New York is one of my favorite songs on this CD and it’s so much like these two because they came out of NYC after leaving Australia. It’s where I met them and some of the scenes in the video are from areas I have been — with them and without. It’s about the craziness of NYC and yet there are bibilical references to “the Apple Tree” yet it’s all New York. It’s about everyone being from NY and there is a difference between the way people walk, the attitude of when you are in NYC versus in LA. It’s just a different style. Anyway, this song is somewhat of a challenge to take on New York or to take on any city when you are trying to reach your goals, snatch it like an apple from that tree- regardless of the snake that might be lying in wait. The opening and close of the song– love the skat-singing. It’s a fun song.
Diamonds is a richly written songs, acoustic initially with Thorry singing and picking out the strings and Issac playing the keys in the background (Rhoades is gorgeous). It’s about a man searching for things that are right in front of him– and it really is about all of us. The vocals are rich and yet not overwhelming. The lyrics are powerful in the way that people are always looking for something more when what they are wanting is right there. It’s an elegaic piece.
Waking up Shining a song so placed in the psychedelic 60’s and 70’s and it’s resonating lots of different presentations. The feel of the percussion and the keys as well as the chorus is so much of that era and while the lyrics are initially perplexing, it does eventually make sense. It’s a bit of an overwhelming because it’s several layers of music and vocals and it’s just posit that you might not be in the right place and maybe there might need to make some changes.
Photographer Bjorn Iooss
Nov 4 2009 10:30P Viper Room w/ The Filthy Souls and Dead Country West Hollywood, California
Nov 8 2009 8:00P Workplay Theatre – The Kin w/ Joshua Radin and The Watson Twins Birmingham, Alabama
The Kin on Tour– see bits and piece of them during their day and perfomances
Nov 10 2009 8:00P State Theatre – The Kin w/ Joshua Radin and The Watson Twins Saint Petersburg, Florida
Nov 11 2009 8:00P Culture Room – The Kin w/ Joshua Radin and The Watson Twins Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nov 13 2009 9:00P The Social – The Kin w/ Joshua Radin and The Watson Twins Orlando, Florida
Nov 14 2009 8:00P Center Stage – The Kin w/ Joshua Radin and The Watson Twins Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 15 2009 7:30P Lincoln Theatre – The Kin w/ Joshua Radin and The Watson Twins Raleigh, North Carolina
Nov 17 2009 8:00P Sixth & I Historic Synagogue – The Kin w/ The Watson Twins and Josh Radin Washington, Washington DC
Nov 19 2009 7:00P Webster Hall – The Kin w/ The Watson Twins and Josh Radin New York, New York
Nov 20 2009 8:00P Trocadero – The Kin w/ The Watson Twins and Josh Radin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov 21 2009 8:00P Wellmont Theatre – The Kin w/ The Watson Twins and Josh Radin Montclair, New Jersey
Nov 22 2009 6:00P House of Blues – The Kin w/ The Watson Twins and Josh Radin Boston, Massachusetts
Nov 22 2009 7:00P House of Blues Boston – The Kin w/ The Watson Twins and Josh Radin Boston, Massachusetts
Dec 30 2009 7:00P Glenworth Valley Horse Riding Center – Peats Ridge Festival Peats Ridge, New South Wales
