Those who love not just their Aussie Rock but their Hard Rock in general will have heard the name Kings of the Sun the band formed back in the 80’s by brothers Jeffrey and Clifford Hoad. They produced 3 great albums before disbanding in 2001 (a fourth album getting a release years later). Take Us To Your Leader is The Rich and Famous’ fourth studio release – an EP that runs a gamut of influences and comes out sounding unique.
As well as the music there’s also a message mixed up in the mix of “rock, glamour, satire and mind control.” Jeffrey Hoad’s band you see has also been having interstellar collaborations with aliens and hope that their “alliances with interplanetary heavy-hitters” will bring “a higher level of consciousness, as yet unknown on the earthly plane.”
… or so it says here, whatever the intergalactic input it still tastes like Rock and Roll to me!
To be honest this is a cracking EP, and there’s an immediate punky swing to opening track ‘Take Us to Your Leader’ which has such a youthful exuberance and spiky attitude you’d swear it was the product of a band half their age. It’s a song that draws on a number of sounds: from the early 80’s almost Adam and the Ants drum opening and the proto-hard rock riff to the Glam rock swing and fizz.
‘Dirty Music’ by contrast is just sheer joyous dirty Rock and Roll there’s a real feel of the spiky alternative and punk bands that popped up in the early 80’s centered around CB-GB’s in the mix and if for a moment you can imagine AC/DC was part of that scene this is what it might sound like. It’s a sure fire arty starter and a song that’s bound to attract the attention of the authorities.
‘Blast Off’ has an almost New Wave initial hit and comes across like the slick US Radio rock of the early eighties with an almost treacly sweet feel before it harnesses the rock vibe of a punk take on Thin Lizzy. What ties it all these tracks all together of course is the distinctive guitar and vocal of Jeffrey Hoad who sounds glorious here.
‘Strict Discipline’ that follows is the funkiest track here like early Chillis, and formative Faith No More tempered with a hard rock edge in the chorus. Its my favourite track here but another sign that you can cast you net wide bring sounds from all over and create a cohesive group of songs. There Iggy in there fighting with Dave Johansen in there too, it’s a helluva song.
Closer ‘Have You Heard’ sports a fuzzed guitar opening which leads to a wonderful funky groove laden slab of rock. It maybe the most traditional rock song here and its a great way to close. You can almost smell the analogue.
This EP says more in five tracks than most albums do in double that count. Now take me to your leader.
