The first thing that strikes me about The Kites sound is that very few people around at the moment are making music like this. Infact the only acts I can think of that are doing anything remotely like this would be someone like Patrick Wolf or Bloc Party, who are also acts that are well known for not following the norm and have changed the face of music from the periphery .
It has to be said that I’ve always been intrigued by artist or band that have a unique selling point and so when lead singer Matthew is described as ‘a foppish pop-poet with a penchant for silk’ this obviously intrigues me further as it appeals to my love of anything remotely Dandy. If the wonderful Sebastian Horsley had still been alive I’m sure he would have devoured this band and everything about it.
The ‘Jumped Up Boy In Livery’ single (Even the title of the single has a theatrically vintage sound to it) is certainly a exceptionally strong offering with rich and velvety vocals accompanying a beat that is reminiscent to me of early Pet Shop Boys, the combination on paper sounds like it wouldn’t work, but it works with aplomb and it is the pure decadence of the mix that draws you in.
I can’t leave this without mentioning the third track ‘Art Tastes Better Blind‘ which although slower than the lead track, is a delight to the ears with wonderful lyrical content – my favourites is the cautionary “oh you silly girl, did you think the world was kind’ which Matthew delivers with incredulous exasperation. Wonderful.
If you want to be ahead of the pack – get this band on your IPod get listening, and you can say that you were there before everyone else, as they will surely follow.
Jackie Nutty
Richard Baldwin
Great review, however the lyric is in fact; "Oh you silly girl, did you think the world was kind?" ;).