KING'S X

When I first purchased this album, I didn't quite know what to expect. There are certain King's X titles that are commonly seen on top album lists (Gretchen, Dogman), but rarely do I see this self-titled album. On closer inspection, this album doesn't really depart much from the sound of the three albums that precede it. While this may be the case, this is a strong album that shows that you don't have to mess with success.

The first two tracks, "The World Around Me" and "Prisoner", are two riff-heavy rockers that are catchy enough to be singles, and perhaps had "Black Flag" (a great song) been successful one of these tracks may have been used as a second single. You could also throw track four "Lost In Germany" in that category.

"The Chariot Song" is certainly the most complex song on the album with several tempo changes throughout. A fun listen with some heavy moments, followed by a slow but heavy "Ooh Song". "Not Just For The Dead" and "Dream In My Life" are beautiful songs that feature clean guitar with more emphasis on Ty's vocals instead of Doug's (on most King's X albums, all three members provide vocals, as is the case with this album). These two tracks are, in my opinion, the most positive and warming songs on the album (melodically) along with "Prisoner". The closing track, "Silent Wind", is a rather simple tune but is a solid though not spectacular song to end on.

However, there are a few tracks that I tend to pass over ("The Big Picture", "What I Know About Love") that do little to peak my interest, but the albums strengths outweigh these weaknesses. Unfortunately, the CD version of this album I own does not include "Junior's Gone Wild", so I cannot comment on that particular song.

This album would not be out of place in a prog music collection, though I would not consider this an essential purchase. A great album by a great band!