TK & The Holy Know-Nothings: The Incredible Heat Machine
In an era where production is the pursuit of perfection and recording artists aren’t allowed to be anything but overly polished, this album is refreshing. A path to recording that most would consider dangerous, bold, and even risky, The Incredible Heat Machine was recorded live with no overdubs. It has a very 'in the room' feeling because of this. It is humans playing instruments to make music without autotune, correction and separation, a recording method that some may consider antiquated, but produces the perfect forms of imperfection.
We are conditioned to experience music like it’s shiny, polished, and we aren’t used to hearing the imperfections that come with live sounds, and when we do it’s like an easter egg where the veneer cracks and you can see the magic. This album is all magic and no veneer, it relies on songwriting and talent. Instead of pro tools, the album is front to back made by pros. It feels greasy and real. It’s like you’re hanging out in a smoky room and laughing, having the kind of night you half remember, and if you tell the story most people won’t believe it. You get to snicker along because you’re in on the joke.
While Americana is thought to be a “southern” art these days, Kingman assembled a team in the mountains of the Northwest and recorded the record, the group's sophomore effort, at OK Theatre in the Wallowa mountains. Kingman has a philosophical brand for the band, wanting a groove-heavy bar band that never sacrifices songwriting. This effort, a tighter, more complete version of the band from their debut, dutifully fulfills that commitment.
Lyrically the album oscillates between more straight forward fare to more metaphoric and abstract concepts, which keeps things interesting and engaging. From the opening of “Frankenstein,” conceptually a misfit anthem, to “Serenity Prayer,” which feels autobiographical, and lets you peek behind the curtain to see that the wizard was a man all along. Paying for drinks in change, hoping tomorrow is better, and praising a good friend behind the bar to get you through the night. All leading to a closer on the record that encapsulates the life of a bar band. “Just the Right Amount” tries to put together a recipe for the perfect night in a bar with a band like TK & The Holy Know-Nothings. “Maybe one to get them crying / maybe one to make them fight / You got to do a little wrong, kid / To get that kind of right”
All in all when you choose to partake of the record, be ready to be along for a ride of truth and consequence. The album will take you on a journey from the grounded to the esoteric, the philosophical to the practical, the joy and the blood of a modern day man of music on the road. The album sets out to make an authentic brand of music that makes you want to turn your head and maybe order another round. It’s an excellent adventure in bravery and songwriting. It stays true to its vision, and creates an ambience that’s missing in the world, blisters and all, in a way that lets the magic sink in. In a playful, tongue-in-cheek description of their own work, labeling it “psychedelic doom boogie,” there’s an expectation set. Kingman and his crew certainly got it right on The Incredible Heat Machine.
I for one can’t wait to catch them between the lines on the road. Keep an eye open for a date near or far from you. In the meantime, The Incredible Heat Machine drops on 10/15/21 and you’d be doing yourself and TK & The Holy Know-Nothings a disservice not to give them your attention while you take in the new record. It's time you’ll not regret spending with a bold, creative endeavor that feels fresh and anachronistic all within the same note!
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