Rating: ***1/2
New York City can create some major talent. Its dirty streets paradox with bright lights glamour can confuse even the most diverse thinker among us.
Gideon King mirrors that paradox. A New York guy with a New York attitude, you'd think his music was gruff and dark, but it's really not. It's lush jazz with intricate harmonies.
In 2015 King with his band The City Blog released their first full-length album entitled "City Blog" to stellar reviews. Hot on the heels of that, a new LP is to be released this August and I got the chance to preview the whole damn thing. But first, I want to focus in on the first single "Faking it on Facebook."
So let's go ahead and get to that. I have a cold brew coffee in my bloodstream and headphones on my ears. Let's check it out.
Listen to "Fake it on Facebook" on Spotify here:
Musically it starts right off with a funky beat and smooth jazz-type feel. Now admittedly this isn't usually my jam but I'm kinda into it. I have to admit I did snap my fingers a bit as I patiently waited for the vocal verse. Lyrically it's about a gal that has cozied up to an older rich dude. He delivers it all cleverly tongue-in-cheek. The fact that Facebook is a breeding ground for making life look much better than it is, comes shining through. King got a perfect voice for the tune he's trying to deliver (more on that in the full album review) and has quite the octave range as he hits some pretty high notes in the last verse. This tune is a great example of what Gideon King & The City Blog are all about. I dug it.
For a genre of music, I don't generally vibe with I found this track pretty damn delightful if I'm being honest (and I am). King can really play and sing, and his lyrics are playful and clever while still remaining current and cutting. I recommend this to anybody, but if you're into modern jazz music with vocals, it's probably gonna knock your sock right off.