King of the Summer Twelve

In the hands of this motherfucker,
you are looking at two magic wands

King Tuff (aka Kyle Thomas) is a man of multiple talents- he fronts stoner slabbers Witch, pop dealers Happy Birthday and most excitingly, the bubbleglamming King Tuff. At the end of May, Sub Pop released the eponymous follow-up to 2008's debut LP "Was Dead" and it rules the school! Was Dead was a garage pop delight (highlighted by the terrific “Lady”) but where that album married the naïve pop of early period (yay - guitars!) Of Montreal with a cocky charm, “King Tuff” turns up the cock just a little bit and amplifies the hooks. 

Kick-off tune “Anthem”, is just that - a galloping, TRex-via-Teenage Fanclub (yup) gem to get the party started. From there, tuff-goes-taffy with pure pop, a hunxy vocal & transcendent harmonies on "Alone And Stoned". A prevailing loose, Free Energy-vibe suits these songs so well - from the cheeky handclaps on “Keep on Movin” to the wake & bake fuzzy synths of the dreamy “Unusual World” - and the melodies are relentless, craftily simple & y’know, kinda King-ly.

Wait guys, I didn't quite get it .. hold it HOLD IT...
GOT IT! CAPtured the very essence of rock n roll! WooHah

Garage rock is frequently too self conscious or just too fucking amateur to go full pop, but KT brings it all night long (for 40 minutes or so). The genre is also prone to lean on no-fi sound quality, but this recording is perfect: mid-fi & semi-bright, its nicely captured early-take energy throughout. 

All of the best elements of King Tuff perfectly storm on album centerpiece and totally kick ass song of the summer so far "Bad Thing" - chunky riff, sing along chorus, ringing Mick Jones fed lead guitar. This song, along with album closer “Hit and Run”, evokes the exultant punk pop of the mighty Exploding Hearts. 

Though this is a spirited effort and a cutoffs & beer koozie record all around, it's a pretty mellow party. Second side highlight “Evergreen” is a beautiful, dreamy song Christopher Owens (late of Girls) would kill for. KT’s songwriting is so strong, up there with Sonny Smith and Jay Reatard, that it almost seems effortless. But where Jay was obsessed with the kill, KT chills. And the chill guys always have more fun. I'll drink to that.