King Tuff - Other - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The ten tracks that make up The Other represent a kind of psychic evolution for King Tuff. No less hooky than previous records, the new songs ditch the goofy rock-and-roll bacchanalia narratives of earlier records in favor of expansive arrangements, a diversity of instrumentation, and lyrics that straddle the fence between painful ruminations and a childlike, creative energy untarnished by cynicism. The soulful and cosmic new direction is apparent from the album's first moments introduced by the gentle ringing of a chime, acoustic guitar, and warm organ tones, InchThe OtherInch is a narrative of redemption born of creativity. As Thomas sings about being stuck in traffic, directionless, with no particular reason to be alive, he hears the call of Inchthe other,Inch a kind of siren song that, instead of leading towards destruction, draws the narrator towards a creative rebirth. Elsewhere, tracks like InchThru the CracksInch and InchPsycho StarInch balance psychedelia with day-glo pop hooks. InchThe universe is probably an illusion, but isn't it so beautifully bizarre?Inch he asks on InchPsycho Star,Inch providing one of the record's central tenets. At a time when everything in the world feels so deeply spoiled and the concept of making meaning out of the void seems both pointless and impossible, why not try? Album Tracks 1. The Other 2. Raindrop Blue 3. Thru the Cracks 4. Psycho Star 5. Infinite Mile 6. Birds of Paradise 7. Circuits in the Sand 8. Ultraviolet 9. Neverending Sunshine 10. No Man's Land