King King - Maverick
Maverick, the fifth studio album from the UK’s leading blues rock outfit King King, is the band’s most anticipated release to date, and not just because of the ever-expanding fan base, growing level of success and acclaim for previous album Exile & Grace.
The heightened interest was more a question of how well would the band fare after the not insignificant post Exile & Grace line-up changes, having previously formed an established and acclaimed line-up of band leader Alan Nimmo, co-founder and bassist Lindsay Coulson, drummer Wayne Proctor and keyboardist Jonny Dyke (who replaced Bob Fridzema shortly after the release of Exile & Grace).
The answer, as it turns, out, is pretty damn well, thank you very much – and for those still bemoaning the decisions taken by Alan Nimmo as regard band personnel and band direction (becoming more classic rock orientated whilst retaining their blues credentials) let’s not forget debut album Take My Hand was attributed to "King King featuring Alan Nimmo." Thus it was then, and is now.
That said the new line-up of Alan Nimmo, Jonny Dyke, bassist Zander Greenshields, drummer Andrew Scott and the news that Stevie Nimmo has since joined the ranks (the elder Nimmo brother has three co-lyric writing credits on Maverick and makes a number of backing vocal contributions) was clearly put together to have a longevity that's built not just on musical chemistry but camaraderie.
In short, a band of not two brothers but five.
Giving immediate credence to that new found strength in numbers is opener 'Never Give In,' which comes swaggering out the gates with all the confidence of a band determined to prove the naysayers wrong.
A weighty, mid-tempo blues rocker with a Free-esque vocal bridge, a big finish and some seriously smooth, full bodied Hammond from Jonny Dyke (it’s also worth noting Dyke and Alan Nimmo arranged all the songs), 'Never Give In' is an instant King King classic.
Lyrically 'Never Give In' finds Alan Nimmo in determined mind, refusing to "roll over" to adversity and those aforementioned naysayers.
A similar lyrical tone clothes 'I Will Not Fall,' a funkily keyed and bass pumpin' number (with a wicked guitar solo) that refuses to back down, musically and lyrically – "you won’t bring me down… you won’t steal my crown" (I see what you did there, Alan).
The heightened interest was more a question of how well would the band fare after the not insignificant post Exile & Grace line-up changes, having previously formed an established and acclaimed line-up of band leader Alan Nimmo, co-founder and bassist Lindsay Coulson, drummer Wayne Proctor and keyboardist Jonny Dyke (who replaced Bob Fridzema shortly after the release of Exile & Grace).
The answer, as it turns, out, is pretty damn well, thank you very much – and for those still bemoaning the decisions taken by Alan Nimmo as regard band personnel and band direction (becoming more classic rock orientated whilst retaining their blues credentials) let’s not forget debut album Take My Hand was attributed to "King King featuring Alan Nimmo." Thus it was then, and is now.
That said the new line-up of Alan Nimmo, Jonny Dyke, bassist Zander Greenshields, drummer Andrew Scott and the news that Stevie Nimmo has since joined the ranks (the elder Nimmo brother has three co-lyric writing credits on Maverick and makes a number of backing vocal contributions) was clearly put together to have a longevity that's built not just on musical chemistry but camaraderie.
In short, a band of not two brothers but five.
Giving immediate credence to that new found strength in numbers is opener 'Never Give In,' which comes swaggering out the gates with all the confidence of a band determined to prove the naysayers wrong.
A weighty, mid-tempo blues rocker with a Free-esque vocal bridge, a big finish and some seriously smooth, full bodied Hammond from Jonny Dyke (it’s also worth noting Dyke and Alan Nimmo arranged all the songs), 'Never Give In' is an instant King King classic.
Lyrically 'Never Give In' finds Alan Nimmo in determined mind, refusing to "roll over" to adversity and those aforementioned naysayers.
A similar lyrical tone clothes 'I Will Not Fall,' a funkily keyed and bass pumpin' number (with a wicked guitar solo) that refuses to back down, musically and lyrically – "you won’t bring me down… you won’t steal my crown" (I see what you did there, Alan).
That the new look King King and Alan Nimmo are looking to appeal to a wider rock audience is confirmed within the four and a half minutes of 'Fire in My Soul,' a highly accessible AOR blues rocker that wouldn’t be out of place on US melodic/ rock radio.
Musical contrast is then provided by 'Whatever It Takes to Survive,' where Alan Nimmo and the band deliver a purposeful and contemporary take on the Paul Rodgers/ Free heavy blues ballad.
Something of a King King trait and always a treat, this year’s 'Freestyled' model comes complete with crying, Kossoff affected (natch) twin-guitar lines toward song’s end.
Winning the award for most commercial and catchy album track is the up-tempo and uplifting 'One World' ("make this a better place – last chance for all!"), which flits between soul-funk and smooth-blues rock.
The celebratory brace of 'Everything Will Be Alright' (another that has Jonny Dyke leading the King King line) and the ridiculously infectious AOR blues rock of 'Dance Together' carry even more positivity through their respective always-there-for you and together-as-one lyricism.
It’s interesting to (vocally) note how more confident and emotive Alan Nimmo has become, album by album, when delivering a ballad. Maverick proves to be no exception – twice.
The gospel-tinged 'By Your Side' (one of the three songs that features accompanying backing vocals from Stevie Nimmo) is simply arranged but powerfully delivered through Alan Nimmo’s genuinely heartfelt lead vocal and Jonny Dyke’s sympathetic keyboard work.
Messrs Nimmo and Dyke come in to their co-written own on 'When My Winter Comes,' a poignant and contemplative piano & vocal ballad that lyrically reflects on the past while pondering the passing-of-years future ("when my winter comes, and I’m standing by the door, will I see the man I was before?").
The greatest gift of the song however, in a beautiful irony (given the subject matter), is its timelessness.
Title wise, the soul-blues warmth of 'End of the Line' (with a Doobie Brothers vibe on the verses) could only be the album closer.
Lyrically however it’s open to interpretation – it’s as much a "(don't) say goodbye" song as it is about brotherly love or even a new beginning ("this thing we’ve started, we can take it to the end of the line"), the latter taking us back to the band itself.
The tartan caped Maverick just took his high-risk jump – and landed successfully.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Musical contrast is then provided by 'Whatever It Takes to Survive,' where Alan Nimmo and the band deliver a purposeful and contemporary take on the Paul Rodgers/ Free heavy blues ballad.
Something of a King King trait and always a treat, this year’s 'Freestyled' model comes complete with crying, Kossoff affected (natch) twin-guitar lines toward song’s end.
Winning the award for most commercial and catchy album track is the up-tempo and uplifting 'One World' ("make this a better place – last chance for all!"), which flits between soul-funk and smooth-blues rock.
The celebratory brace of 'Everything Will Be Alright' (another that has Jonny Dyke leading the King King line) and the ridiculously infectious AOR blues rock of 'Dance Together' carry even more positivity through their respective always-there-for you and together-as-one lyricism.
It’s interesting to (vocally) note how more confident and emotive Alan Nimmo has become, album by album, when delivering a ballad. Maverick proves to be no exception – twice.
The gospel-tinged 'By Your Side' (one of the three songs that features accompanying backing vocals from Stevie Nimmo) is simply arranged but powerfully delivered through Alan Nimmo’s genuinely heartfelt lead vocal and Jonny Dyke’s sympathetic keyboard work.
Messrs Nimmo and Dyke come in to their co-written own on 'When My Winter Comes,' a poignant and contemplative piano & vocal ballad that lyrically reflects on the past while pondering the passing-of-years future ("when my winter comes, and I’m standing by the door, will I see the man I was before?").
The greatest gift of the song however, in a beautiful irony (given the subject matter), is its timelessness.
Title wise, the soul-blues warmth of 'End of the Line' (with a Doobie Brothers vibe on the verses) could only be the album closer.
Lyrically however it’s open to interpretation – it’s as much a "(don't) say goodbye" song as it is about brotherly love or even a new beginning ("this thing we’ve started, we can take it to the end of the line"), the latter taking us back to the band itself.
The tartan caped Maverick just took his high-risk jump – and landed successfully.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ