Review Summary: The most underrated album from the most underrated band
Ear Candy is another album with an unusual status in the King’s x discography. It was the final installment of what could be called the Atlantic trilogy but seemed destined for obscurity due to the label’s indifference and minimal marketing. Its status among fans also seems rather divisive on top of that as fans deem it as the last of their classic era or their first major misstep.
If Dogman saw the band doubling down on their heaviest aspects with less of their psychedelic side coming through, then Ear Candy sees the reverse. Dug Pinnick still handles a good majority of the lead vocals with plenty of bass grooves, but Ty Tabor comes back to equal prominence with more developed harmonies, lighter guitar tones, and abstract textures.
Songs like “Sometime” and “Run” may still have some funk left to drive them, but songs like “(Thinking and Wondering) What I’m Gonna Do” and “American Cheese (Jerry’s Pianto)” reach back to their Beatles influences while leaning more alt rock. The latter even sees drummer Jerry Gaskill in a rare lead vocal role, perfectly exemplifying the adjusted dynamic.
This approach makes for one of the band’s lightest albums, but it also comes with a somber overcast that gives everything a melancholic tinge. While it’s not Alice In Chains levels of soul crushing, songs like “A Box” and “Lies in the Sand (The Ballad of…) a rather regretful tone that bleeds into the personally themed tracks like “Fathers” and “Picture.” Even an otherwise wistful track like “Mississippi Moon” gets a sad edge to it.
As much as I would consider Ear Candy to be one of my personal favorite King’s X albums, it’s easy to see why it is a somewhat acquired taste. The more somber approach can be tricky to feel out, not hitting the riff-driven attitude of Dogman or the feel-good soul rock of their earliest efforts, but the more personal edge makes for a compelling listen. It’s the sort of album that seems made for a lazy Sunday. If King’s X is the most underrated band, then Ear Candy is their most underrated album.
