Music

"Allen" - Smoky Knights [Zumic Song Premiere]

Brad Bershad

by Brad Bershad

Published December 4, 2013

It is with great pleasure that Zumic brings you the first single from up-and-coming psychedelic indie rock band The Smoky Knights. Stream the song "Allen" below, and stay tuned for their self-titled debut EP to be released next week.

 

smoky-knights-ep-cover-art-2013

 

 

[audio src="http://zumic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Allen.mp3"]

 

Even though this is only The Smoky Knights' first single, they already have an exceptionally polished sound. The band is totally cohesive, playing off one another to create something that is captivating and powerful. It's obvious from the band's name and the album cover art above that they are playing up the psychedelic angle, and that comes through experimenting with textures and arrangements in their songs. There's an open feel to this song, with a lot of ambiance.

Spacey guitars, harmonic vocal parts, and contemporary driving drum patterns bring to mind well known indie rock bands like Local Natives and Grizzly Bear. There are a few moments in this song that set the band apart from some of their contemporaries. First of all, the bass has a dub reggae feel from the beginning of the song. Then, the breakdown in the middle combines rock with elements of reggae and jazz, reminding me of some of the more innovative music made by The Police: Andy Summers, Sting, and Stewart Copeland. Toward the end of the song, there's a very strong crescendo that builds up only to have the drums drop out, leaving us with a focal point around a beautiful vocal harmony. Producer and engineer Randy Wine has done a masterful job on the recording.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, check out their EP Release Party at the Hotel Cafe on Thursday December 12th.

Check out The Smoky Knights on Facebook and Twitter.

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