After ten long years, the eclectic alt-indie outfit King Krule finally returned to Boston for an electric evening at the Citizens House of Blues. Joined by LUCY, the band is celebrating the release of their fifth full-length album, Space Heavy, released on June 9th via Matador Records.
The brainchild of enigmatic Londoner Archy Marshall, King Krule has been a staple in the alternative scene for over a decade. His 2013 debut LP 6 Feet Beneath the Moon brought the band to the limelight, garnering enough attention to warrant performances at festivals like Glastonbury and late night television, most notably on Conan and the Late Show with David Letterman. The strange, melty mixture of indie jazz and post-punk has siloed King Krule in their genre, but they still feel like a necessary evil in any festival lineup. Since the release of their sophomore outfit The Ooz, Marshall has adopted a full-time band to round out the lineup, complete with horns, auxiliary percussion and a DJ.
As the band walks on stage, Marshall slowly and casually wanders up to his guitar and takes the atmosphere in before strumming a chord that rings out into the crowd. The lights stay dimmed until a slow crescendo of blue light illuminates the band, and Marshall leads into “Perfecto Miserable,” from their 2020 LP Man Alive!. His signature crooning launches the crowd into excitement and is all but amplified when he digs into a gravely yell, repeating the line “Thought I had everything, but it’s not worth” over and over until the band meets him again in the closing chorus. Contrasting stage lights fade in to expose a spanning backdrop in the art style of Space Heavy while the band transitions into “Alone, Omen 3,” one of the leading singles from Man Alive!
King Krule is known for their live performances that deviate quite a bit from the studio renditions. Their past couple albums have sought to capture the energy from their live shows, but there truly is nothing like seeing them dive into the tracks in a concert setting. The group launches into “Cellular,” which is a rather tame track in the studio version, but its transformation in front of a crowd (mixed with strobe lights), gives it an edge like none other.
Marshall is not really known for stage banter or crowd interaction, which leaves plenty of room for more music. The night spanned a perfect blend of each era of King Krule, even taking a trip back to their roots with “A Lizard State,” a very early hit with the diehards. Over the years, the band has adapted some of the earlier songs from their stripped down origins to a full band rendition, most notably with their permanent encore “Out Getting Ribs.” Starting solo with Marshall’s vocals and simple guitar lines, the band crashes in towards the tail end and completely reinvents the timeless classic for a marvelous end to the evening.
The Space Heavy tour continues through the summer before Marshall and gang return home to the EU to resume the tour.
LISTEN TO KING KRULE HERE!
CATCH KING KRULE ON TOUR HERE!
