Album Review: Krooked Kings - 'All Out Of Good Days'
After an extravagant display of British pomp for the coronation of King Charles III, Krooked Kings are the chaotic unpretentious antidote.
Inspired by the likes of The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin and Bon Iver, the Utah five piece churn out the kind grungy rock that would have earned them an NME cover in the noughties declaring 'guitar music is not dead' back in the tastemakers heyday.
That's not to say that their discography sounds in any way dated; think of the snarky confidence of The Strokes tied together with the forward-thinking indie-electro pioneers Phoenix. Their debut album The Comedown arrived in 2021, a sentimental record fixated on reliving the highs and lows of youthful abandon. Whether it be the unbridled mischief of weekday drinks on ‘Bird Scooter’ turning to a bloody sweatshirt and a pavement dive or manifesting the simple pleasures of cheap booze and cigarettes in a small apartment on ‘Boxed Wine’.
However their sophomore effort 'All Out Of Good Days' flips their current narrative entirely. The jubilant tales taint as they climb into the later stages of their roaring twenties. Production from California indie-rock project Day-Wave helps add necessary layers to their sound while lending a rawer lo-fi edge to their most recent output, the most notable example being ‘Sick of being Young’. The single is a blistering response to ageism with lyrics like “you said I should go back to school, I should act my age, stop acting a fool, well I’m stuck in my ways”.
‘Good N Drunk’ is perhaps the most upbeat and catchiest cut. With beachy riffs and carefree lyrics about drinking away your sorrows it lives in the present moment with no regrets. In direct contrast to this, they succeed in encapsulating the feeling of not wanting to party all the time with a stark self-awareness on ‘Stick in the Mud’. Recalling blink-182 at their most melancholic, the downbeat chorus affirms “maybe I’m dumb, a stick in the mud, the burnt-out friends catch you fed-up”. They embrace social anxiety, acknowledging everyone has an introverted side.
The longest recording on this latest batch of songs clocking in at over 4 minutes is the final track ‘Close Tonight’. While lengthy it is far from the least interesting, this is the closest they have gotten to a ballad. It’s a tender number yearning for affection and comfort, the perfect note to end on.
'All Out Of Good Days' sees the band clouded with uncertainty and doubt as they hurtle towards the future at a bristling pace. Despondent about youth while addressing the fear of adulthood, their charm lies in their confusion about life ahead. Delivering an introspective record grappling with the internal tug of war of their waning young years, it sounds like Krooked Kings have aged like a fine wine.
Words by Oliver Evans
