Slowking - Rival Cities

I've always been unaware of any rivalry between the Ontario cities of Keswick, Guelph and Toronto, but apparently the boys of Slowking would know since those are their respective hometowns. Thus the name of the bands' debut "Rival Cities."

The album opens well enough with In My Bones, which opens with a slow beat and a delicate melody before breaking into an Interpol-heavy bass line that more or less sets the theme for the rest of the album. The CD really kicks into gear however with track three, entitled The General Population, showcasing a very strong chorus and thunderous guitars that'll make your ears ring. I would also consider Homes to be a particular standout. The lyrics are very compelling and I feel that this is the song that really takes the band into original territory. That is followed by Cargo, where vocalist Luke Michielson really shows us what he's capable of, replacing his common drone with a fierce growl that takes the song to the next level. Finally, After School is a really good pop song about growing up, that could easily be a single. Overall, "Rival Cities" is a decent debut and if there's any criticism that could be made, it's that it would be nice to see the band continue to craft a more original sound. It's become obvious that Joy Division is the flavour of the month, and although there is nothing wrong with that, for some bands that emulation has developed into full out mimicry. I wouldn't say that Slowking is there specifically (although some of the references in Vicinity admittedly made me cringe a bit) but some of the songs that I've mentioned show that the band certainly has it in them to produce an entirely new listening experience.

Slowking is playing at Mitzi's Sister on 1554 Queen Street West TOMORROW!! with Dirty Holiday and Kasper. The show is FREE!

Download: The General Population mp3 / Mouth Of A Lion mp3
Myspace: Slowking
Purchase: Rival Cities on their homepage.