Tag Archives: King Khan and the Shrines

Entertainment, Food, humor, Music, Random

An Ode To Sonny Bryans

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Arish loves his Sonny Bryans!

For a good chunk of us living in the US of A, we will never get to experience Sonny Bryans. I never heard of it until two minutes ago. But but but but but. King Khan enjoys the restaurant so much that he wrote a little song available for listen on the Shrines Myspace page. Here: http://www.myspace.com/kingkhantheshrines

Chris will definitely listen to it because Khan name-drops Mumia Abu-Jamal.

“Sonny Bryan’s Barbecue
Burning hot in my gullet
Makes me want to shave my mullet
Sonny Bryan’s Barbecue
Free ribs, free cole slaw, free Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Sonny Bryan, friend of Kobe Bryant
Missed and loved by us all.”

Entertainment, Music, pictures, Random

King Khan and the Shrines

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This isn’t really relevant to the Boston area or any area in the United States for that matter, but I thought the depiction of the cheerleader was kind of funny.

On a side note, I had a fucked up dream last night that I was singing Nobunny songs with King Khan at a huge convention center in New Hampshire. Chris was getting squashed in the front row.

Entertainment, Music, News

KK + Shrines Spring 2010 Tour

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The fact is King Khan and the Shrines have just announced a Spring 2010 in North America. Their little three week jaunt begins in Atlanta, Georgia and ends in Indio, California, which happens to be the site of the Coachella Festival. They are going to be heading up the East Coast to North Carolina, but just when you thought they’d keep going north, they will go west and back south again! They will be playing some major cities in the South/Southwest/Northwest region on route to California. The way I figure it, they will undoubtedly be coming back to Boston in April or May…most likely May. I’m hoping for that.

CD Review, Entertainment, humor, Music

Classic CD Reviews: KK + His Shrines

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Title:  Three Hairs And You’re Mine
Release: 2001
Label: Voodoo Rhythm

1. “Three Hairs and You’re  Mine” – A
2. “Kukamonga Boogaloo” – A
3. “Don’t Walk Away Mad” – A
4. “Fool Like Me” – A+
5. “Saba Lou” – A
6. “King of the Jungle” – A+
7. “Live Fast Die Strong” – A+
8. “Que Lindo Sueno” – A
9. “Tell Me” – A
10. “Cracking Up” – A+
11. “The Mashed Potato Itch” – A+
12. “Shivers Down My Spine” – A

Comments: This is a sneak peek into what the Supreme Genius was up to when the Shrines was just an infantile big band. At least on record, these guys sound like a seasoned band, not a two year old independent outfit on a no-name label. The energy is off the chart, which is to be expected from Khan. At the time of this release he was just in his early twenties; pretty quickly after performing in a prolifically “frenetic” Canadian punk outfit called Spaceshits. On this record, Khan adds a mere teaspoon of garage punk to a clan of foreign soul/blues obsessed foreigners. This album consists of a number of tracks that later appeared on the Vice Records released greatest hits collection: most of  “Side B” and “Fool Like Me,” a poised love song ditty. “Saba Lou” is interesting. That’s because Khan has a daughter named “Saba Lou,” but was she even in born at the time of recording? I wouldn’t necessarily call this release a thing of absolute beauty (it’s close), but it’s definitely typical Shrines. Rock ‘n soul. You’ll be smiling for days after listening to this. It does serve as a decent confidence booster and a slight euphoric enhancer.

Grade: A (95)

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Title: Mr. Supernatural
Release: 2004
Label: Hazelwood Records

1. “On The Street Where I Live” – B+
2. “Mr. Supernatural” – B+
3. “Destroyer” – A-
4. “On A Brass Bed (In Paradise) – B+
5. “Pickin’ Up The Trash” – A-
6. “Stone Soup” – B+
7. “Lovesick” – B+
8. “Train No 8” – B
9. “Chatter” – N/A
10. “I Don’t Have To Tell You”  – A-
11. “Shattered” – B-
12. “Burnin’ Inside” – A+

Comments: Initially, this record is a bit of a forced effort it seems. It seems like the band’s crazy experimental factor has been reduced and the music has returned more to its roots. It’s still fun, don’t get me wrong. Even a “great hit” like “Destroyer” is a lackluster (compared to other magnificent songs) until the groovy as heck interlude “GOOD BAD UGLY…DESTROYER!” So in this respect, it’s noticeably weaker (but chiller, if that’s your thing) than probably every other KK + Shrines released. The innate catchiness just isn’t there. It’s more like a soul aficionados’ wet dream.

Final Grade: B+ (88)