Album Details

• Artist: Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground
• Album: Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground
• Label: Bombs Over Bellevue
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: digitalbath on 2011-04-01

Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground most definitely has me captivated by their self-titled, full length debut. Released in 2008, the self-titled album deal may seem a bit overcooked, however there is nothing unoriginal about Kay Kay's musical talent, which is embodied entirely by Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground.  It only took one listen to this album to realize how warranted the album title is.  Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground has certainly introduced themselves proper in the musical world and any avid listener would love to have this as part of their collection.

The album was tough to find, coming from a recommendation on Last.fm, but after some web maneuvering, I began to listen and have to say that this is simply one of the most enjoyable albums I've listened to this year, and in many years at that.  Kay Kay’s primary members include a lead vocalist/percussionist/guitarist (Kirk Huffman), a key jockey (Kyle O'Quinn), and a cellist/backing vocalist (Phil Peterson).  However, 11 other musicians are also featured on the album including extensive string and brass accompaniment.  Kay Kay in Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground reminds me of a mixture of the The Beatles, Spoon, The Dear Hunter, and some Cloud Cult peppered in here and there.

Your journey starts off within a symphony of strings, reminiscent of the beginning of Forgive Durden's Razia's Shadow: A Musical-- for 59 seconds. Then, all of a sudden, the second track brings us back to a simplistic guitar and voice tune, or so you think.  Once the percussion kicks in beneath the backdrop of plucked cello and the piano you hear in the movies whenever the protagonist walks into a saloon, it starts to become evident that this isn’t going to be your everyday listen.  Kay Kay's tracks are forever shifting from style to style, genre to genre.  From classical to reggae, reggae to electronic, electronic to the existential, and back again.  Tunes evolve from intoxicatingly simple movements, to atmospherically complex structures, and never miss a beat.  Oh, except for the fifth track when someone admits failure at the very end.

I'll leave you readers with that.  Hopefully the length of this review relays a sense of urgency and enthusiasm in you. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground's Introducing Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground is definitely the diamond in the rough that I've been looking for and expect them to bloom into something truly miraculous. 

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