EP Review: Hey! King – Be Still  (ANTI- Records)

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Hey! King are a young American couple who sing Indie Folk songs with an exhilarating intensity on their debut EP Be Still. They have been mentored by Ben Harper who produces here, as well as having them as support artists on his tours.

Natalie London is the writer, singer and multi-instrumentalist. Her musical and life-partner is Taylor Plecity who sings and plays percussion.

Four original songs and one cover. They may start close, confining and claustrophobic. But they open out and let the light in and become uplifting. The writing is informed by the personal relationship they have.

London also has faced adversity already in a young life which would have brought her to the brink. Contracted Lyme disease whilst at Columbia University. Left her practically bed-ridden for four years, with ongoing sequels that a chronic illness can bring. Sometimes you hit the bottom. Then you fall through that.

Half Alive begins with a quiet acoustic guitar melody and a curious percussion sound which could be a backward effect. A heartbeat rhythm and subject as the quiet voice struggles to come out of a depressive funk and then I was only half alive before I loved you.

Don’t Let Me Get Away. A Country Folk tune which starts quietly. Singing is open and naked, and as London builds with passion and intensity, the voice reveals great technique and control. While keeping the emotional level raw.

As is with Sing Me to Sleep. Not as raw. Plecity’s voice is also heard on harmony.  Less instruments here and the song shines due to its own beauty.  Nice drum and horn accents. Possibly a French horn.  Sing me to sleep/ Sing me till I disappear.

Lucky is personal. Quiet and resigned and downcast. Then love walks in and the spirit is filled with emotional energy. Beautifully sung again. I was waiting for your hand/ I was waiting for you/ At that hospital/ When the blood poured over my arms/ And the light poured in/ How lucky I am to be alive/ To love you.

We Gotta Get Out of This Place is the Brill Building classic, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Again, a very personal song for London. Mother’s song that she sung to her as a child at bedtime. When Mum was recovering against all odds from lymphoma in hospital, this is what she wanted her daughter to sing as an epitaph. And there is Eric Burdon, putting some passion into it with a still great white Soul voice. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood makes an appearance to close the song.

Totally appropriate. Great original songs. Raw and personal but all are as uplifing and joyful as those of that earlier classic songwriting era.

Rev Orange Peel         

 

Rev Orange Peel
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