Smother Magazine Band Spotlight

Smother Magazine Band Spotlight: Kaki King

Despite years focusing on her drum talents, Kaki King sure is making heads turn with the guitar. The young guitar phenomenon moved from Atlanta to New York where she spent time in the rhythm sections of various bands around the city, but the guitar was to be her destiny. In the tumultuous wake of 9/11, Kaki King made the subways her venue, playing for strangers tossing tips into her guitar case and molding her creativity. She emerged from the subways to sell some demos, take a waitressing job, and eventually find herself performing a fateful gig at The Knitting Factory with Velour Records' Jeff Krasno in the audience.

Kaki King is clearly the most exciting thing to happen to the guitar since Michael Hedges or Leo Kottke. Combining the absurd techniques of those fingerpicking masters, the tension and musical poesy of 20th century composers like Debussy, and the dark discontent of Pop artists like PJ Harvey, she has crafted a captivating and unique guitar experience for Legs to Make Us Longer, her sophomore record and debut for Epic imprint Red Ink. Kaki's guitar rings like a steadily tolling bell on "Frame", the album's opener, cushioning the listener in an irresistable cloud of guitar tone. Just when it gets comfortable, she launches into the more raucous pounding of "Playing with Pink Noise". For those who are unfamiliar with Kaki King, this piece sets the standard. For those who are unfamiliar with this kind of guitar manipulation, this piece could be emotionally damaging. She doubles the guitar's duties, covering the lead and rhythm sections on one instrument. The guitar becomes a drum and its own band when Kaki's magical techinque goes to work on it. She even demonstrates mastery of slide on "Can the Gwot Save Us?" Throw in a modest drum part here, a tasteful string arrangement there, a tad of upright bass, and even a diminutive amount of vocalization, and Kaki's world is suddenly even more palpable through wonderous layers and textures. Unlike the many new wave acoustic guitarists content to compose music for mindless chilling out, Kaki King is inspired to create music to inspire. This circular pattern of inspiration and creation is clear through her music -- always enchanting, never overbearing.

Kaki has performed on some important stages, like Bonnaroo, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Late Show, and with some important artists, like The Blue Man Group and David Byrne. She is currently taking her sound to many more stages around the US and plans to do so for as long as possible. Check out her itinerary, audio, and video at www.kakiking.com.

Current Releases:

Legs to Make Us Longer (2004) Everybody Loves You (2003)

Web site(s) to check out:

Official Site
Velour Music
Epic Records