Kids From Nowhere - Kick It In review

Year : 2012
Genre : Honky Tonk Blues, Rock 'N Roll, Alternative
Label : Skipperless Media
Origin : Israel
Official site : > - here - <

This review starts out with a snippet taken from the band's official biography, as this pretty much is the perfect way to introduce newcomers to this surprisingly solid Israeli Honky Tonk - you  have read it right - ensemble.

"The Kids From Nowhere is an international experiment in American music, based in Israel. Members include singer/songwriter Zach Wheat (Texas), drummer "Element" Yves Elisee Akowendo (Côte d'Ivoire), bassist Elad Avni (South Africa) and guitarist Babush (Israel).

The band is heavily influenced by Texas "outlaw" country music, the British Invasion, and the proto-punk songwriting of Lou Reed and Mark E. Smith. Active since 2007, Kids From Nowhere have played to Israeli and American audiences and are releasing their first LP, "Kick It In" in October, 2012. Produced by Or Bahir (Eatliz, Amit Erez) the album combines vintage rock arrangements and traditional songwriting with modern recording methods. And noise. Lot's and lots of noise."

Read more to know if the Honky Tonk of Israel is loud enough to invite the crocodiles of Texas to dance.

The music is hefty, funny, pretty much masterfully produced and it practically RAINS the timeless charisma of All Things that feel and smell Honky Tonk on you. I would go as far as to state that the authenticity of the content is pretty perplexing, as I personally have no doubt whatsoever that even the most hardened and unforgiving outlaw blues rock aficionado would give the immediate thumbs up upon hearing the fray, and, trust me, Elvis approves, too. See? He does not object.

The album has a fine sense of all the trademark tints of its favorite genre, and a pretty much perfect understanding of the quite complex and dainty harmonic passages that are natural characteristics of intricately sculpted country music. Sure enough, the majority of the content revolves around the progressions the Honky Tonk psyche, the beautiful barrels of beer - even the barrel of the shotgun - is accustomed to, yet, what separates the contribution from an everyday average doodleboogie effort, is a relentless urge and well positioned desire to compliment the classic passages with exceptionally rich, thick instrumental fabrics. Everything is soberly presented, nothing is too aggressive, but all instruments have healthy grit and brightness.

It is notable that the lead singer has listened to the classic country singers so much that his nervous system has successfully cultivated a perfect Texan alter-ego (?), and you could not tell if he is a dude from Israel or a Cowboy armed with a guitar and an agenda, not even if you would have to play Russian Roulette with all six loaded if mistaken. What I especially am happy of, is the fact that his performance remains full of dignity and manly elegance - as a country singer should sing, see/hear Johnny Cash - even in the slowest declarations on the package. The track, called "Bone Coast", for example. Yeah, it is ultra-similar to Beatles' "Let It Be", but shut up and let it be, and listen to a particularly nice pulse found and mounted for/on good ol' country music. As far as further similarities go, the album has a latent punk rock connotation, rendered more strictly at its middle point - with the assuaging song title "Kiss Me Like a Girl". Oh wait. This is a tricky title. Yes, yes, the song itself is an anatomic variant on "Boots of Chinese Plastic", but it still is pretty good.

The Kick It In LP is as strong of a Honky Tonk debut as a band of this niche can dream of to accomplish, and I can't stress enough that the ensemble put considerable and exigent work into compliment this fine blend of timeless genres from all conceivable directions available, and the LP emerges successful in the context of all its premiere ambitions. A rather pleasant and relevant Honky Tonk surprise of late year.

Check out Kids From Nowhere at their official site here.

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