King Khan & The Shrines
Idle No More
Rock
After more than five years since its last record, King Khan & The Shrines is Idle No More.
Named for the Canadian indigenous sovereignty movement, the album tells the story of bandleader Arish Ahmad Khan, better known as King Khan, and his personal struggles, triumphs and critiques of the world today. At the same time, Idle No More pays tribute to those who have touched his life over the years.
Throughout the album, the band mixes a wide variety of musical styles, from ‘60s and ‘70s rock and soul to garage rock and punk. Brass and string instruments are present throughout the album as well, giving a hint of classical and jazz flavor to the sound.
The mostly upbeat sound of the album creates an interesting blend with the cynical and introspective lyrics, creating a sound that is uplifting on the surface with underlying social and personal criticisms ringing throughout.
At the start of the record, the listener is plunged into a wave of sound in “Born to Die.” The music attempts to pound a message of happiness and prosperity into our ears, but the lyrics give us the sense that things are really much darker than they seem.
The rest of the album has similar undertones, but is also scattered with messages of light and joy. “Luckiest Man” is about how Khan was able to overcome a tough time in his life.
Similarly, the choir filled “Pray for Lil” is an ode to Khan’s wife, who helps him in times of hardship and completes him as a person.
The album concludes with “Of Madness I Dream,” which seems to reflect Khan’s worldview with a cacophony of instruments with no obvious direction.
Two of the songs on Khan’s album, “Bad Boy” and “So Wild,” are requiems for people who were important to Khan who have died in recent years. Each is a nod to the person it was written about by imitating their musical styles.
“Bad Boy,” a requiem for Bobby Ubangi, imitates the vocal style of Ubangi, while “So Wild,” a double requiem for Jay Reatard and Jay “Berserker” Montour, imitates many of the garage punk sounds of Jay Reatard.
Idle No More has a complex and at times jarring balance of musical styles and moods, conjuring many simultaneous emotions in the listener.
Through his lyrics and the way he constructs each song, Khan takes listeners on a journey into his deepest thoughts, which range from tranquil to turbulent over the course of the album.
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