Pierce Kingan- You Can Have your Cake and Eat it Too
By Cole Young
The Pierce Kingans’ 4th EP, A Pierce Of Cake, is a dense 4 song EP thick enough to fill your ears with as much ferocity as a cake with the flour’s gluten overdeveloped being slammed into your face by a clown with a shit-eating grin on his face. Kingan’s sound has been self-dubbed as “creepy bedroom pop” but on this EP he escapes the restrictions one might subconsciously induce upon themselves from that title. A Pierce Of Cake is full and put together, the lack of time restrictions due to the self-recording process really allows every pierce of every song to be intentional and perfectly executed.
The start of the first track, It’s Bleed Too Long, tricks the listener into thinking that it’s going to be reminiscent of a simple early 2000’s song that’s mixed with the irony they’ve come to expect from Kingan, however, it quickly drops into something more complex and deep. Filled with heartfelt, yet original lyrics delivered piercely with strength that’s often lacking in modern vocal tone and character. The verses are catchy and enticing, the clean bass tone contrasts beautifully with the dirty tone of the lead guitar. The chorus drops in heavy, the guitar going off like it’s got no other purpose in life. The whaling pierces through the rest of the instrumentation while also allowing the listener to remain completely engaged with the crying of “Please me, it’s bleed too long”.
The track Lone has so many great aspects of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, before they became total shit. The way the funky bassline grooves with the layers of guitar is as intricate as a Pollack original yet as smooth as the tone of Bob Ross’ voice. Your head may be groovin’ along one minute and spinning the next. All this whilst feeling an overwhelming sense of comfort and ease despite the realism and helplessness conveyed in the lyrics. They’re sung in such a melancholic manner that without the comforting touch of the music you may just be crying, wishing for some pierce of mind by the end of the song.
Throughout the album, Kingan’s voice shines met with equally beautiful harmonies that fill the space between the waves perfectly. The guitar parts are layered distinctly, with lots going on but nothing that doesn’t need to be there, in turn leaving space for the bass to connect those melodies to the rhythm magnificently. All of this wouldn’t hit you the way it does though without the amazing beats thrown down on the drums, they have flare for days and they’re tighter than those leggings on stupid sexy Flanders. If by now you haven’t, won’t you please give Pierce a chance?