CD Review: The Joe Kings – Calls In The Night

CD Reviews — 10 May 2011

Review By Jack Davidson

Listening to THE JOE KINGS never gets tedious because loop-playing instantly reminds you of their amazing talent. The young Perth group is like a blues rock version of Gypsy & The Cat, although the former pre-date the latter.

‘Calls In The Night’ is almost an excuse to just show of technical skills and wouldn’t you if you were this good? The EP opener is a great place to start if you want good first impressions. It’s a very light blues song that flirts between genres and has build-ups reaching some very impressive solos.

‘Into The Light’ is a just shy of five minute epic that seems to go on for just a little bit too long. As good as the song is it does seem to drag. Despite its length, the beautiful song rings of tortured voices and lonely steel strings, soulful and heartfelt.

‘Higher Ground’ is an excitingly thumping, toe-tapping gritty son-of-a-gun sweet tune. This is the echelon that The Joe Kings need to maintain. ‘Higher Ground’ is literally a rise above the rest – which may be where its namesake came from – that or some sort of far out reference to Stevie Wonder. Nonetheless, The Joe Kings are sensible, use every second wisely and execute it perfectly on this track. If you even tried to cull or break down this song you’d only take away its integrity and remove that all important desire to listen to it.

‘Don’t Matter To Me’ peaks and goes into form about two minutes into the piece. Although not a bad song by any standard it takes a while to warm to. The keys feel like they’re thrown in there just to break up song composition, if not the sound of the album. If you can listen to the song in its entirety you will reap the benefits. You are left with that funny feeling you get when you desperately want something so bad that you simply must get a little bit closer.

‘Gamblin Line’ sounds like it has come straight out of the depths of some nameless underground club – a dirty, stinking, damp hole in the ground. This is the kind of blues everyone should support. It’s ruthless, unforgiving and stimulating.

At present The Joe Kings may be diamonds in the rough but given time they are sure to be one of Perth’s premier bands. If they continue the path that they’re on they have a chance to be one of those “yeah I remember them, they used to be local” bands.

The more plays of ‘Calls In The Night’, the friendlier it sounds. The Joe Kings have produced a well cut and finely tunes EP.