I know very little about King Teen. He used to front a punk-rockabilly band from California called The Smokejumpers. According to an old bandcamp profile, they were active from 1996 to 2000. And Unlike the other “King”, this one is alive and kickin’ as evidenced by his soon to be released EP.
Us Ugly Guys Got Style consists of 6 roots-rock/Americana tunes and a cover (more on that one later) that fit comfortably in the same category as The Beat Farmers, Tearaways, Popravinas and a few other California bands. They’re relatable messages delivered with charm, tunefulness and a keen sense of humor.
A Compelling Story
First up, the short and very catchy “Dream Not Found”. The universal theme and very memorable chorus make it the perfect opener. The King demonstrates an acumen for telling a compelling story with “Thunderbird Motel”. The production is sparse – it’s mostly just the man and his guitar. A that suits this piece really well.
The next couple tracks, “Us Ugly Guys” and “Mediocre Man” are immensely relatable, employing a country swing and humorous lyrics. “Human Touch” is another story-song, this time confronting the devil otherwise known as AI. It’s catchy, clever and highly enjoyable.
The protest tune entitled “Left Two Three” is the only misstep on the EP. It’s a rant consisting mostly of rote clichés. Some folks will no doubt love it. However, in my view, it lacks the sense of humor, honesty and charm of the rest of the collection. Without it, this is the most satisfying EP I’ve heard yet this year.
Get King Teen’s Us Ugly Guys Got Style Here
From what little information I’ve been able to gather, King currently lives in or around Durham NC, making it possible (and highly likely) that I get to hear his work live and in person. The release party for the EP is a couple weeks away (May 30) in Chapel Hill. For those from NC, if you like Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, Southern Culture on the Skids or Terry Anderson & His Olympic Ass Kicking Team, you’ll dig King Teen.
Us Ugly Guys Got Style is a wonderful surprise – highly enjoyable and well worth your time and money. Get it at King Teen’s Bandcamp page. Release date is May 30.
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