After two amazing solo records and a covers compilation all played by his lonesome, Michael Carpenter steps out with a band to call his own. They are called Kings Rd. And they kick ass! It`s not only a logical and confident step forward creatively for Carpenter, it`s a step that has more bite and some sweet edges and the whole vibe of the project is one a bunch of guys getting together and whipping out their guitar arsenals and mutual talents and fusing it all together for a gathering of collective charm. Armies of jangly guitars, gorgeously layered vocals, inimitable hooks and melodies that stick like chewy candy, it`s pop that has the spirit of Tom Petty`s best solo work for its inspiration. In Carpenter`s own words: "It`s my first all-original album in two years, and I feel it is a creative and musical leap forward for me. It presents a different style of songwriting in the context of a unified `band` sound. The songs and arrangements are less `inspired` by others and more distinctly ours. For people expecting a sound like my other albums it may be a little different, but I feel that we have really captured the essence of the new material, and created a sound that hints on traditional power pop, country, and rock, but has found it`s own identifiable voice incorporating those textures, but not mimicking them.
The album sounds like a great band playing together.
"kudos to Carpenter for continuing to grow and for following his muse,
wherever it may take him. A mature effort and whilst not the final product,
this album remains part of this remarkably talented musicians journey.
Grade: A " - Power Of Pop
Established fans will
rise to the challenge and embrace Michael`s distinct sound and new fans will be enticed by the broader appeal of this work. Rest assured, though, Carpenter doesn`t fall too far from the pop tree. Serving up his trademark melody drenched music with a confident, expressive voice he blends ringing guitars and rich harmonies with tight arrangements and clear, punchy productions. "This is an album that entertains and enriches and, at that level, it is Carpenter`s most fully realized record yet"- Fufkin.com. "As Carpenter himself says, his main goal with this album was to get back to his own sound, after being tired of the `pick the reference` game......Michael, don`t let the `pick the reference` game bother you anymore, because it will always be around. When one hears The Byrds, The Beatles, The Raspberries or Costello in some of your songs, what they really hear is not a duplicate, but actually a song that some of these artists `forgot` to write down along their way, and only a few guys like you have been given the God-like talent to make them come alive" - Popism.
"4 stars..After four albums in which he tackled either most or all of the instruments himself, Australian pop prodigy Michael Carpenter has finally jumped into the deep end and formed a band, and miraculously he`s actually been able to improve his work in the process. The synergy of having other musicians to bounce ideas off of in the studio has allowed Carpenter to better focus his energies on the important stuff (truth to tell, he`s still saving the flashy bits for himself), and Kings Rd. Works, named for his new backing band, fairly crackles with pure pop energy. Carpenter is still saving the songwriting duties for himself, of course, and this is where Kings Rd. Works shines brightest. In his liner notes, Carpenter describes this set as an effort to move past his influences, wanting "the records to sound like me," and while this stuff is as smart and tuneful as anything he`s ever done, there are fewer aural name-checks of his obvious favorites (Beatles, Byrds, Beach Boys) and a lot more straight-ahead guitar-centric pop/rock. And Carpenter is as strong a lyricist as he is a tunesmith and producer, which is no small accomplishment, and this album is full of wit and high spirits as well as a maturity and hard-won wisdom on what truly matters in love and life that one doesn`t often see in a contemporary pop album. Simply put, Kings Rd. Works is a great record from a criminally underappreciated artist, and if you`ve been wondering why no one makes the kind of album that can tug at your heart as you sing along these days, well, perhaps you haven`t been looking at Michael Carpenter."-AMG.
 Listen - mp3
Listen - mp3
Listen - mp3
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