InVogue Records- 28 Aug 2020
The EP we didn’t know we needed
Oklahoma’s Lilac Kings are a brilliant amalgamation of midwestern emo, early 00’s post hardcore and indie rock. The talented four-piece have an impressive high vocal dynamic, reminiscent of Circa Survive. Like any well-written album, the subject matter expertly vague, hitting on a personal level, relatable to many experiences.
The opening track of Love You More is “1985.” This is a song that is an immediate attention grabber for first-time listeners and tenured fans. The pounding drums get a toe-tap to grow into a stomping air drumming while the vocal gymnastics and dark lyrical content force themselves through you ears and deep into your subconscious.
If “1985” was the cut that burrowed into your head, “Slipping Up” is the track that pierces your heart. Emotionally aggressive, this track is full of clarity and a sense of fresh pain. The song busts listeners open from the opening guitar riff that demands swift attention and does not leave room for distractions as it winds through its tales of finally opening up only to find locked doors on the other end.
Lead single “This Love” is another extremely strong track off of Love You More. A fresh take on the common themes of infidelity, “This Love” explores the point of view of the cuckold with a bouncy and upbeat melody backing the track rather than tried and true aggression or darkness. Oddly enough, the saccharine take works in this case and adds depth through its shallowness. With lyrics like “I’m chasing a mistaken I just want this love to take” explores the self-blame that comes when finding out that the person you loved didn’t care as much about you.
Aaron Gillespie of The Almost and Underoath hop onto “Shore Leave” with its rap-inspired spoken words feeling, this track feels out of place on the record, but not in a distracting or destructive way. The unlike-its-predecessors track has a lot going on in the background but none of it overwhelms what the members are trying to prove. This song reaches the level of experimentation so many bands claim to put on their album despite their fears to actually experiment.
The fittingly titled final track of the EP “The End”, is a strong way to close out this release. The song slows down compared to the rest of album and really brings about the feelings of being in love. The track showcases the top-notch high vocals while being beautifully delivered and overflowing with emotion. Pull out your cell phone screen and sway to this love gone good track because that level of nostalgia is what the album has going forward.
This collection of songs is one to look for when you are in a good mood just as much as when you are in a foul mood.. The lyrics will likely allow listeners to relate in a variety of ways but never feel excluded from the conversation.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
