Description
Kingsqueens is the sole solo album by the American singer, songwriter, and session musician Wayne Everett of The Prayer Chain and The Lassie Foundation fame, released on Northern Records in 2003. According to All Music Guide, “«A Million Leaves» should be on mixtapes from now until the end of music. It is a perfect song. The rest of the album isn’t too far behind.”
A while back I reported in a review that The Lassie Foundation, one of the best pop bands you’ve never heard, had finally decided to call it quits after releasing their best record, The El Dorado LP. Given the distinguished careers of the band’s musicians, it’s unsurprising that all of them went on to other projects: drummer Frank Lenz dropped an album of blue-eyed soul with The Hot Stuff, guitarist Eric Campuzano pursued a Flying Saucer Attack direction with his drone project Charity Empressa, and bass player Jason 71 continued The Foundation’s Beach Boy fetish through the excellent feedback-drenched pop of Eskimohunter. What did lead vocalist (a drummer by trade) Wayne Everett do? He went on to record a solo album under his own name. And also unsurprisingly, it’s great.
Where The Lassie Foundation’s albums seemed to scream of summer and beaches through a combination of both lyrical subjects and a hyper-kinetic poppiness that brought to mind images of choppy waves and surfing, Kingsqueens takes on the slightly more laidback feel of the Foundation’s last effort, channeling the same subject matter through a slightly more relaxed lens. The sweet, screeching feedback is gone, allowing room for every melody, harmony, and instrument to breathe. The opener, «A Million Leaves», is as perfect a pop song as you’re likely to hear this year, and it’s one of the sweetest-natured love songs I’ve ever heard. Built on double-tracked acoustic guitars and a simple drumbeat, the song gives Wayne Everett a chance to show off his voice, a sweet, relaxed tenor that, in addition to the beautiful lyrics, conveys a sense of peaceful wistfulness that carries through the entire song. By the time the bridge, filled with gentle horns and clarinets, arrives, you’re completely sold on the song (if you weren’t already).
«I Can See Jail» continues the relaxed vibe using a simple drum machine beat and some palm-muted electric guitars that subtly keep the rhythm of the song until a shimmering organ and faux-strings are added, while «Comin’ Round Again» takes out most of the guitar in favor of upbeat piano chords and flute before some funky and relaxed horns hit on the chorus. Unlike some bands that use their horns for extra flash (Beulah, for instance), Everett is simply content to let the horns be part of the song. «Mor Far» is perhaps the most rocking track on the album, letting the electric guitars strut a bit by adding some fuzz and using what sounds like a gospel choir (although none is listed in the liner notes) as background vocals.
It would be tempting to describe every single track on this album, as they’re all so good that it’s nearly a crime that this hasn’t received wider distribution. Amazing work. Do yourself a favor and pick this up as soon as possible. (By the way, in the time since The Lassie Foundation review was written, the boys have decided to reform and are planning to release both an album and an EP in the near future.) [Rick Arnow, Delusions of Adequacy, 11/3/2003]
Wayne Everett (The Lassie Foundation, Cush, The Prayer Chain, Starflyer 59) is a consummate musician: singer, songwriter, drummer, and producer. He tends to wear many hats. Finally, Wayne has presented to us his own songs, which might be described as indie-pop-bliss. This album has the song writing genius akin to Neil Young along with the pop awareness of the Lassie Foundation and Frank Lenz.
The songs range from slow-tempo to medium tempo with a pop sensibility no one can deny. The cast of players on the disc is quite impressive: Frank Lenz (Starflyer 59, Cush), Eric Campuzano (The Prayer Chain, The Lassie Foundation, Charity Empressa, Cush), Dickie Onassis (otherwise known as Richard Swift from Starflyer 59), Levi Nunez, Jeff Schroeder (The Lassie Foundation), Matt Fronke, Greg Riley, Tatiana Simonian, Lori Lenz, and Julie Martin (Bon Voyage).
Most songs hang around the 3-minute mark, creating a perfect pop formula for each cut. Only one song on the disc is over 5 minutes long and that song, «Chalk», was written during Wayne’s stint in the Prayer Chain. This «Chalk», unlike the one found on Prayer Chain’s Antarctica, is set to a slow tempo, and this prequel to the TPC counterpart represents more closely Wayne’s original vision of the song. Its Beach Boyesque BGVs and stripped down rock feel gives it a romantic air that only Wayne’s voice can convey. «A Million Leaves», the disc’s opener, is a mid-tempo number with a driving back beat and vocals reminiscent of Lassie’s El Dorado. The subtle acoustic guitar work reminds one of Red House Painters. «The Lov’n Fools Brigade» is a slow-tempo number with sprinkles of Spanish style trumpet, fantastic rock guitar, and soaring vocals. «Babalou», a track limited to the CD version of this album, is certainly a gem. The song is entirely in French, set in 1988 at a live show in Belgium, and completely done in studio. It is a magnificent farce and yet a grand pop song. Wayne dedicates this album to his Mor Far. The song of the same name, «Mor Far», is a mid-tempo pop song with a mixture of fuzzy organs, jingly tambourines and distinctively bass BVG’s. All in all, the 11 tracks on this disc are pop perfection, leading the listener through love, gambling, dedication to ancestors, and a musician’s need to express himself through music. A must have. RIYL: Red House Painters, The Lassie Foundation, The Shins, Neil Young. [Jason, Somewherecold, December 11, 2003]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/kingsqueens-remastered/1809904616)
CD tracklist:
01. A Million Leaves
02. I Can See Jail
03. Comin ‘ Round Agauin
04. MorFar
05. Wold Series Of Poker
06. Chalk
07. The Lovin’ Fools
08. Changin’ Your Name
09. Bring Your Ship
10. Lucky Skies
11. Babalou (Live ’88)
Note: The CD was released in a gatefold card sleeve. Also released as a Limited Edition 12-inch white vinyl LP by Grand Theft Autumn the same year, minus the last track on the CD edition, “Babalou (Live ’88)”. Available at Bandcamp: https://northernrecords.bandcamp.com/album/kingsqueens
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