The Autumn Kings, an alternative rock band from Windsor, Ontario, dropped an album one week ago. Silver Screens is the title of the album, and the latest single/video is tagged “Illusion.”
Describing the Autumn Kings or any band for that matter, as alternative rock is making a virtue of inscrutability, simply because the term “alternative rock” covers just about anything. If you’re British, you probably call it “indie rock;” here in the U.S., it’s referred to as alternative rock. That being said, the Autumn Kings really are an alternative rock band because they draw from the well of new wave and post-punk.
If pressed, I’d compare their sound as Green Day meets Maroon 5. And that’s meant as a compliment. I like their sound; I like “Illusion” very much.
The band is made up of: Jake Diab, on guitar and vocals; Joseph Coccimiglio is the lead vocalist; Tibor Bognar plays bass; and Jeremie Brousseau sits in the pocket. I feel compelled to single out Jeremie for two reasons: first, he appears to be about 13-years-old; second, I like his drumming style. He doesn’t just keep the beat – 1,2,3,4. Instead, he utilizes his kit as another instrument, kind of like a sane version of Keith Moon. His style is effective and centripetal to setting the band’s sound apart from other run-of-the-mill alternative rock bands. Excellent stuff!
Coccimiglio’s vocals are good, and will probably get better as he matures, not only because his vocal chords will thicken, but because he’ll be less influenced by other popular vocalists. That’s not a dig, it’s just a fact. Vocalists influence other vocalists. The outstanding vocalists cultivate verve and avoid the dreary flatness that comes from mimicry. I hear flashes of Coccimiglio’s potential on “Illusion.” He’s going to be an outstanding vocalist.
“Illusion” has a catchy melody and lots of hook lyrics that make it easy to sing along with. This indicates talented songwriters. Beau coup rhyming progressions form the hooks, complementing the upbeat melody. And the band members are talented musicians, meaning they don’t flail or invest the music with burlesque overtones. In other words, they demonstrate a “musical sensibility,” which translates into flow and sequence. More good stuff.
The video is subpar. It goes like this: the band is playing in what looks to be a loft, with a bunch of millennials standing around watching and listening. Of course, they all hold drinks in bottles or plastic cups. I guess the subliminal statement goes like this: conviction creates susceptibility. By that, I mean the tacit implication is that since all these other beautiful millennials, as portrayed in the video, think the music is good, then we should too. I’m sure I’m being too harsh, but surely the video producer can do better than this.
Other than my venting about the quality of the video, the Autumn Kings have “got it going on.” Superbly talented musicians, catchy lyrics and an agreeable melody make “Illusion” a winner.
More about the Autumn Kings: http://www.autumnkings.com/