by Jonathan Bannister (@j_utah)
Play music long enough and you may find yourself wanting to branch out, try something new. Or you may find there are some songs that won’t conform to your current band’s way of thinking. They demand a new style to give them voice. Such is the origin story of the Boston by way of Worcester band Kiss Concert. Three years ago bassist Anthony Richards and guitarist Zach Peckham needed an outlet for the more straight ahead songs they were writing. Songs that didn’t gel with the more experimental bent of their other projects. Once they added drummer Gio Coviello they found it was a band that demanded their serious attention. Today we’re happy to premiere the result of that attention, their new EP Humor.
Similar to their namesake, the riffs are plenty and the urge to head nod along is strong. Humor is an apt title for the EP. Song titles like "Fear and Loathing in the WWE" and the first and last tracks sharing a similar title but for a change in punctuation add to the loose vibe. Richards' and Peckham’s lyrics amble along over the music with a Bad History Month sort of story telling pace and can range from quite funny to absurd, often in the same line (“Did I come all this way, just to jizz into the grand canyon? Unfold your skeleton, climb into my Volvo.”) There are a lot of ideas packed into just these five songs.
It’s been a long road for the band to get this EP ready. They’ve endured technical issues, and all the other BS to deliver their “indie-ish thoughtfulness” mixed with “punk abandon.” Give the single a listen below and pick it up from Salty Speakers. Your summer listening could use a healthy dose of Humor.