King's X

Item: Black Like Sunday
Author: Brian A. Smith

Black Like Sunday

(2003)

Reviewed by Brian A. Smith

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Label Metal Blade RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2003

alternative rock hard rock progressive rock

Hard core King's X collectors are having a hard time with Black Like Sunday. The tunes contained here (for the most part) are a mix of songs the band wrote in their early days, when they were known as Sneak Preview and later, The Edge. There are two newer songs, "Down" and "Two," which have surfaced in other forms as well.

Many King's X fans have been looking for a return to the Gretchen Goes to Nebraska days when the band had a much larger budget, producers behind them, and a more Christian bent to their lyrics. They have roundly criticized the band on their news board and on various discussion lists on the Internet.

They seem to miss one point: they would have never heard these songs until now had it not been for the generosity of the band themselves. Doug Pinnick has been the main instrument in allowing demos, concert recordings, and other oddities to be distributed among their fan base.

That said, how does BLS stand up? A few of the songs do have a dated sound to them. "Danger Zone," "Working Man," and "You're the Only One" in particular have an '80s sound to them and show influences not normally associated with King's X. "Johnny" shows Pinnick's early obsession with The Police. "Rock Pile," though, seems to be the polarizing force on the album--fans either hate it or love it. Done in a Rocky Horror-esque manner, it is the story of a young band contemplating its future and the success they hope to attain:

I don't want to be another statistic in a pile of rock
I just want to be a star, I just wanna stay on top
There's only one place I'd rather be
Where's there's love, joy, and peace.

It's an odd mix here. There are '80s rock songs, which show an immaturity in the band's songwriting ("Danger Zone" is a tale of Ty Tabor in his high school days), and a more jaded melancholy ("Down", formerly a Pinnick demo). "Two" is an outtake from the Tape Head era. Given the variety of styles, there is no real flow to BLS.

Overall, though, there is one underlying factor that saves this album. These are King's X songs--whether old or new. "Screamer" ranks with any song they have ever performed--I can only hope they do it live on their next tour. "Bad Luck" and "Save Us" show a younger, more innocent version of the band with a more spiritual bent to their lyrics, and "Dreams" is infectious, more poppy than almost any other song in their catalog thus far. "Black Like Sunday," seemingly a metaphor about Satan (at least originally), will also get stuck in your head after a few listens.

Black Like Sunday is nothing like any other King's X album. But, neither was Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous, which many King's X fans rank among their best. Do I hope the next King's X album will involve extended studio time, with perhaps a producer and all new songs? Sure. Does this detract from Black Like Sunday? Not in the least. It rises and falls on its own merits. And I for one, like it.

4 tocks