CD Review

Unfortunately, Zach Braff’s stellar film, Garden State was released about a year ago. The tale of wayward twenty-something Andrew Largeman and his New Jersey hometown garnered almost as much praise for its whimsical and melodic soundtrack - which features the likes of indie favorites The Shins and Iron and Wine mixed pleasantly alongside old stalwarts like Colin Hay and Simon and Garfunkel - as it did it's story. The music served as a perfect accompaniment to the plot and gave writer/director/lead actor Braff a Grammy nomination for best feature film soundtrack. No doubt had the timing better corresponded, North Carolina four-piece The Kingsbury Manx could have landed any of the 13 tracks off their latest The Fast Rise and Fall of the South onto the soundtrack. Borrowing tricks from all of the above mentioned artists, the Manx craft together a collage of wistful lyrics, amiable soundscapes, and pitch perfect production, courtesy of Wilco sideman Mikael Jorgensen. It’s music that film music editors die for and will surely be picked up by many currently produced features.

Go buy this album. Invite friends over and play “Snow Angel Dance.” Stand back and watch the heads of your guests bob as they continue their conversations. Follow that up with “Ruins” and watch them open the refrigerator to grab another beer. Conclude the evening with “Animations” and you will have sold the crowd on The Kingsbury Manx. Or, if you aren’t the partying type, lie on your back with a pair of headphones and assess the state of your life with tracks like the rollicking opener “Harness and Wheel” and the hymn-like “Zero G” as portals into your subconscious. That’s the beauty of The Fast Rise and Fall of the South: versatility. Whatever the mood or situation, the music just fits. Largeman and company would understand. So should you.

For more info see: thekingsburymanx.com