Review Summary: Welcome to the Groove Machine
After six albums of trying to up the ante and push their sound in all possible ways, Tape Head sees King’s X starting to settle down. Seemingly no longer interested in the mainstream attention that had eluded them, the trio found a new home with Metal Blade Records where they were granted the creative freedom they’d always wanted. This was also their first album recorded in the members’ home studios, seemingly opening the floodgates for the ***load of solo albums and side projects that would follow in its wake. There’s a sense of resignation in the material though in a way that reflects comfort rather than defeat.
These shifting priorities are further reflected in the songwriting as the tracks are somehow even more stripped down than those on Dogman. The compositions feel bare bones featuring arrangements often driven by simple riffs and fair-weather vocal melodies. The distinction between ‘Dug songs’ and ‘Ty songs’ is also becoming more apparent; you can usually tell who’s going to take the lead vocal just by how respectively heavy or light the opening riff is with fewer interactions outside of the chorus harmonies. Such an unambitious approach may be a little more filler-prone than past albums, but even the lesser tracks here still have an inherent pleasantness.
Fortunately, the musicianship goes a long way in keeping this album from feeling like King’s X on autopilot. Some of that Ear Candy somberness still lingers here and the production is incredibly vibrant, giving the guitars an even heavier crunch and making the vocals sound fuller. This is perhaps best demonstrated on a song like “Over and Over;” the rather sparse lyrics and simple structure would seem like insincere balladry in lesser hands, yet the playing is packed with enough emotion to feel genuine. Elsewhere, “Groove Machine” and “Fade” provide an effective one-two punch of grinding riffs, the former securing its status as the band’s go-to show opener hereafter, while “Cupid” and “Little Bit of Soul” offer effective choruses.
While Tape Head could be seen as a step down from the strongest King’s X material, it also sees the band gracefully slipping into niche status. The more basic songwriting approach can come off as unexceptional compared to the band’s previous works, but the band retains enough of their distinct characters and overall chemistry to make it work. It’s clear that the goal here was to get in, rock, and get out without making too many waves, effortless without getting too lazy. It may not be the best gateway for newer listeners looking for a mind-blowing experience but established fans will enjoy the visit.
I probably could’ve gone without “Walter Farkas” though.
