Kinsley
Alternative Rock
RIYL: Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Tad
From the band’s website:
The musical journey of Christopher Neil Adkins and Adam Young Staley began in elementary school. The two started their first band in the fifth grade and have been close friends ever since. After years of living in different states, they reunited in North Carolina in 2015 and Kinsley was formed shortly after. Kinsley encapsulates the sound of their collective musical influences. From Christopher, the knowledge of the classical guitar (receiving his Doctorate of the Musical Arts from Florida State University) combined with the love of all types of heavy music. From Adam, experienced drumming in the North Carolina music scene (drumming in bands such as Idea of Beauty, Sinister Archetype, Eno Mountain Boys, and City of Medicine). In 2016, Kinsley recorded their debut album entitled I with their friend Al Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, NC. Jamie King from the Basement Recording Studio in Winston-Salem, NC later mastered the record. I was independently released on September 22nd, 2016. In 2017, Kinsley went back into the studio with Al again to record II. Jamie King once again handled the mastering.
With that, we’ve featured II for your pleasure today. Listening, it is so difficult to comprehend that there is so much sound coming from just two dudes. Consisting of 11 tracks, there are a few soundbites here and there, but it sounds as if every guitar lick and drum hit is produced by Adkins or Staley.
While it is not clear if there is any sort of conceptual nature behind these record, the music doesn’t feel forced. Your first thoughts might be that “This record sounds like it is all over the place.” Fortunately, for most, they’ll notice that it ebbs and flows extremely well, and if it is “all over the place,” it’s on purpose.
Easing listeners into the album is “Intro” that carries this trippy, mellow song that feels like I’m floating through the air on a bizarre synapse firing trip to the ether. Upon arriving, you’re met with a monolith of a track in “Jesu.” There are some meaty riffs on this track, but what’s the most ear-catching is the drumming here. There are killer ghost notes and hits that some ears might not even comprehend.
As the record continues, there is a cacophony of smokin’ riffs on tracks like “Bullshark” and “Justin’s Song,” but what is most interesting is the duo of songs smack dab in the middle of the record. Aptly named “Predators” and “Become The Prey,” the songs, even if wasn’t meant to happen, sound like they are meant to be together. In fact, this listener cannot play the former, without hearing the latter directly after. There are tasty riffs one both of these tracks as well. Heck, there are jammin’ riffs all over this record – especially on “The Door.”
Ultimately, if you are looking for some meaty rock riffs, and not a lot of b.s. Kinsley’s II (and I) might be for you. There are a good mixture of instrumentals and vocal led tracks, and the duo’s songwriting does center around the one-two guitar/drum combo. It has been a while since I’ve heard a two-piece produced an extremely well-balanced record such as this. This DESERVES to be listened to loud, so crank it, why don’t ya?
