Sound Republic: Album Reviews

Blue King Brown - Self Titled

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By Kristy Wandmaker
14 January 2006

Related Artists

Blue King Brown

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Self Titled

Take the political bent and grass roots philosophies of the John Butler Trio, the bacchanalia and smelting rhythms of The Cat Empire, and front it with the pint sized dynamo and vocal force of Alanis Morrisette - you might get a more tepid version of Blue King Brown. Forming out of a sea-change for Sydney’s percussion outfit SKIN's Natalie Pa’apa’a and Carlo Santone, Blue King Brown are acclimatising quickly and warming up the Melbourne scene.

Their self titled debut release is a call to arms. The opener, Water, is getting national radio exposure, and is a great indication of the BKB vibe. This is music with a message. You and I talks of the manipulation of the masses (they’ll use you and tell you that you’re brave) and individual responsibility to seek justice. Reasons Why is a life affirmation, and my vote for the second release, with its mix of soul piano, solid reggae beat and trumpet vignette. Better Spent delves more into traditional rock, with the astounding slide guitar making the lyrical attack on frivolous spending almost unnoticed (don’t you think that money would be better spent on 1000 starving kids/didn’t you think at all). In the Middle tells of Pa’apa’a’s personal quest to visit central Australia and its effect (cause every time we sing that awful song/it feels wrong) through a jazz fusion of percussion, rhythms and horns.

By far the highlight of this album is the closer Reality. Pure soul grooves are laid down for a song with the chorus ‘No soul’, with a two and a half minute spoken word rap feature from Pa’apa’a. It also provides the précis to both the ep and the band itself; ‘Hell yes I’m political/and I believe it’s critical/And you could all learn from me/’Cause we got every right to be’.

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