The Kings in Ely Street - The Kings in Ely Street

​The Kings in Ely Street

The Kings in Ely Street
self-released; 2017

​3.9 out of 5

By Rebecca Rothschild

The Kings in Ely Street have dropped their unique sound from Brazil with their album Before Twilight. It is rare that I get to hear an album built around the ukulele which did make it very distinct and enjoyable. It kicks off with “Out of the Blue.”

This track is utterly delicious, such diverse instrument usage, totally rad saxophone mixed in there. It’s vibrant and completely fresh sounding, I was hooked and ready for the rest. After that things mellow out, you get a vintage, classic rock sound. It’s interesting because they love throwing in these modern, synth sounds but the modern aspect fades away rather quickly. In fact, there is definitely a formula where you get those electric sounds usually at the start and then it’s a gamble if you ever real hear from them again for the rest of the song. 

The sound quality is well executed; you can sense a proper professional touch with the mastering and mixing. You get an interesting sample of different genres in the same low to mid-level tempo ballpark. At certain points you get brassy bluesy moments, then things go into the jam band realm for a couple of tracks.

My beef is it just felt a bit untidy. There was a lot of music presented but there were several tracks that could have been shortened up for me personally. 

A big plus is Ed Arthur’s vocals which can transcend any genre. I get the feeling from listening to him that this is someone who takes pride in his work and is probably a wonderful live performer. The lyrics fit into the hazy motif, some are lamenting, some are cheeky.

This band is certainly built on solid talent and they have mastered this lovely, classic rock/indie sound they have going on. However, as I stated before I feel It was a bit of a tease. Hearing them execute such a lively and fun track right off the bat I really just wanted more of that.         

Before Twilight is a good tool to have in any music collection and having it come out now as the weather is warming up, at least in this hemisphere, is perfect. I could easily hear it at barbecues, beach parties, whatever you got going that’s social. The music projects those good vibes you want for a get together. It’s not an overbearing sound so people can converse or just kick back and listen.

I feel like this group has a chance to really stand out if they chose to. There’s a place in this world for what they have done with this album, and I know there are people who will love it top to bottom. If you want eclectic classic rock vibes, Before Twilight would be an ideal purchase for you. I think the album is lovely, but I am holding my breath for something a little more on the wild side with heavier usage of their modern twists.

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