The King Khan and BBQ Show – Bad News Boys (ALBUM REVIEW)

[rating=9.00]

kingkhanlpThe bombastic new record from The King Khan and BBQ Show is a thrilling blast, and will definitely make you realize how much you missed this whacky, dynamic duo. Canadian punk rockers with a deep appreciation for vintage soul, garage rock and doo-wop, King Khan and BBQ (Mark Sultan) have been making music together for years. Bad News Boys is their first full-length album in more than five years, and though both are pretty fantastic each on their own, something crazy and magical happens when they get together.

Bad News Boys is hilarious, beautiful, and totally badass from start to finish. A retro filter gloriously covers every last note, from the head-banging garage guitar, to the old school harmonizing. And these songs are so full of a kind of vibrant liveliness; it’s impossible not to get exciting listening to them. Strange and dark humor abounds on “Snackin’ After Midnight”, a cheeky ode to cannibalism with bonkers vocal styling. “Well that craving is mine/Oooh crunchin’ my baby/Snackin’ after midnight/Chomping on my baby’s bones”, they sing, alongside a rockabilly, surf guitar hybrid that reverberates giddily, with a creepy vibe.

This album is, without a doubt, designed just for dancing. And not just any dancing—Bad News Boys is meant for getting seriously groovy. “Ocean of Love” is a go-go boots-worthy number with a nonstop rocking guitar riff, and just try not to swing your hips to the ultimate slow dance ass-shaker “BuhByeBhai”. This one’s got a sweet, romantic throwback melody that conjures up visions of greasers and saddle shoes through rose-colored glasses.

That all of these songs flow together so cohesively is indicative of the level of artistry in the King Khan and BBQ partnership. The most out-there, goofball numbers like the chaotic blast “D.F.O.” fit snugly with smooth, retro grooves like “We Are the Champion”. Their perspective is one you’ll want to try on and probably never take off, because Bad News Boys is proof that life through their eyes is a surreal, psychedelic party that never ends.

The twists and turns of this record keep it sounding fresh and new, and when they transition from the mellow “We Are the Champion” to the more punk-garage rock vibe of “When Will I Be Tamed?” you won’t know what hit you. Same goes for opening track “Alone Again”, an infectious, addictive melodic treat. When it finishes and you’re suddenly thrust into the mile-a-minute Beatles-esque “Illuminations”, it’s like a jolt of crazy energy that grips you and doesn’t let go.

King Khan is a force of nature no matter what he does, but there’s something truly uninhibited and unselfconscious about his vision when he works with BBQ. They’re like two kindred spirits who are both bursting with nutty ideas, and across mindfully crafted tracks like “Kiss My Sister’s Fist” and “Killing the Wolfman”, you get to be a part of this strange little capsule of oddities in their spectacular world. And even if you could find your way back out, you probably wouldn’t want to anyway.

 

Related Content

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

New to Glide

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Twitter