I Was A King's Old Friends

I Was A King might not actually be royalty but they are actually a pretty decent indie rock band and the latest in a long line of Scandinavian pop bands to invade these shores like vikings. Combining just about every sound under the indie rock roof, I Was A King manage to barely sound Scandinavian and sound more American than they'd probably ever admit to. Made up of a bizarre combination of musical backgrounds, I Was A King features several indie musicians , a free jazz drummer, an avant classical composer, and an electronic music diva. So, it's no wonder they sound the way that they do. On paper, I Was A King sounds like a very strange concoction, but in reality, they in fact sound like one of the craziest indie bands floating around and across the Atlantic.

I Was A King's album, Old Friends actually feels as if several old friends stopped by and helped in the making of this record. Sharing similarities with Dinosaur Jr., Of Montreal, The Elephant Six Collective, West Coast Pop, and just about every other sub genre you can think of, Old Friends is like a trip through an encyclopedia of the last twenty years of alternative rock music. This is a record that's literally all over the place and embraces noise and chaos as much as it embraces melody and order. Old Friends is a really nice record that seems to be at its best when it heads over to the west coast with jangly guitars, multi part harmonies and songs that are as bright as sunshine in tow. They might not actually be the Beach Boys but you can hear this Scandinavian group wish that they were on a song like, "Forgive and Forget."

A little out of left field and a bit chaotic, Old Friends tries to do more than it probably should in the span of twelve songs, but thankfully I Was A King are able to steer the record through potential pitfalls and do it with a smile on their face. Warmer than their home environs, Old Friends is pop music for spring thaws, summer vacations, and lazy days on the beach. I Was A King might come from the land of ice and snow but they secretly wants to be Californian. After listening to Old Friends you'll think of its creator, I Was A King, as just that...old friends.