The 2007 release of Kingsley’s four-track “Seven Keys EP” will ensure a fanbase for the release of the full-length album in spring 2008.
It is no surprise that the poetically pungent lyrics come from published poet and front man Vic Garcia, who is finishing his Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Composition at the University of Miami. Coupled with his strong vocals, the album showcases Garcia’s cultivated talent.
The quartet includes Garcia (vocals, guitar, keyboard and harmonica), Ethan Carlson (guitar), Luke Moellman (drums and piano) and Antonio Dell’Aglio (bass).
As Garcia describes his alternative rock style on his
MySpace page, the music is “a sonic boom, [with] catchy-as-hell melodies, lots of motifs going on, great counter melodies and loads of electronic noises for the ladies.”
All the songs adhere to the formula of soft, mellow verses followed by infectious sing-along hooks which steer toward pop rock. While dark and slow at first, “Take You Home” builds into a high-energy, electric guitar-amplified rock chant. And the opener, “Last Satellite,” is a social commentary that offers a contrast to the traditional love ballads that make up the majority of the EP.
“It’s an anti-violence song,” Garcia said. “I’m using [it] as a satellite to broadcast a lot of shit going on in the world that needs changing. So if this was the last satellite on earth, I hoped that its message would be direct.”
Likened to the modern Coldplay and Radiohead, the band also draws from ancient influences Henry VII of England and Robert I of Scotland.
The “love for myth, culture and heritage” is the reason for these regal references, Garcia said on MySpace. “I wanted the band to borrow elements of the past in its presentation.”
Although the band finds inspiration in the past, their future looks bright. They can count on plenty of listeners with the triumphant effort “Seven Keys.”
Kimberly Rubenstein may be contacted at k.rubenstein@umiami.edu.
Check out Kingsley Oct. 10 at Churchill’s Pub at 11 p.m.