Hey all,
Any of you heard of Kaki King? She's just this solo 6-string guitar act (no vocals), but she absolutely rocks! Very intelligent music without being pretentious while also displaying a lot of feeling without getting sappy. I just bought her CD over the weekend and haven't been able to put it down and just wanted to spread the word. This girl needs to be heard! And of course, since it's all acoustic guitar, it sounds incredible on Axioms. Let me know if you've heard her music and what you think.
-JT
As an old accoustic guitar player, I'm interested. To which of her 4 CDs are you referring?
I only know of two--"Everybody Loves You" and "Legs to Make Us Longer." I bought Legs and after listening to it had to turn right around and buy the other one as well. They're both pretty darn frickin' sweet. If she's got two others I don't know about, I'm all over 'em. -JT
I lied!
Amazon has 4 CDs listed by her. I didn't bother to read the titles, and 2 of them are the ones you mentioned, while the other two are import versions of the same two. So, technically she DOES have 4 CDs, but we don't care about 2 of them.
Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to check her out. Well............her music, I mean.
I've never heard of her, but I just had to go check her out on the net right away. Wow! Her guitar playing sounds like Michael Hedges.
Yeah, I've heard that she's been influenced a lot by Michael Hedges. I hadn't heard of him either, but if she sounds like him, I'm sure I'd like his stuff too. Any recommendations of albums to check out?
iTunes Music Store also has 3 albums available for download -- and 24 tracks to sample from.
Ajax, ever given Tommy Emmanuel a spin? If you like acoustic guitar you owe it to yourself to have a listen. There are more then a few that consider this guy to be one of the true great ones out there!
Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.
Start with Aerial Boundaries. You're either hooked or not after that.
Yeah, I sampled some of Hedges' Aerial Boundaries on amazon.com and liked it. I think Kaki King's music is quite a bit darker though--a little more edgy. Hedges seemed a little more "New Agey," but still pretty cool. Might have to get that album soon.
I was fortunate enough to see Hedges 5 or 6 times, and each time was incredible. Unfortunately, he drifted more and more towards this intolerable hippy-dippy, California vegetarian, Birkenstock stage persona that was frankly just obnoxious. The last time I saw him (only a few months before he died) I had the opportunity to meet him. I wasn't one of these fawning, rabid fans - I just said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I always enjoy your shows - you're an amazing guitarist." His reply (and the accompanying look) was almost drenched in contempt. He said, "I'm not a guitarist. I'm a composer." And while I was standing there he treated just about every one else with equal disdain. The whole time I'm thinking, "You officious, pretentious f**k. Get over yourself."
Hedges was astonishingly talented, and he certainly raised the bar for a generation of guitarists, but my firsthand experience is that he was also a complete ass.
Now having said all of that, I'm very interested in Kaki King. I'm always interested in new music, so thanks for the tip.
I never would have thought of him as pretentious like that... interesting. I loved Arial Bounderies but started losing more interest as he started emphasizing vocals over guitar.
Not to hijack the thread, but is anyone here into Jack Johnson? I bought "On and On" not long ago and can't help but liking it's laid-back feel and yet very percussive guitar.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008NG5V/qid=1098464745/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/102-4107289-8671323
It just might be the first disc I load for trying out my Axioms when they arrive!
I really enjoy Jack Johnson, but both his cds dont seem to be recorded very well, the first one being worse than the second.
I haven't heard a CD that emphasizes acoustic instruments yet on my Axioms that doesn't sound absolutely gorgeous. That's too bad if Jack Johnson isn't recorded too well, cause it'll defiinitely show on your Axioms. Kaki King is recorded beautifully. The first track on "Legs" sounds like your speakers are melting into a pool of warm butter.
I'm kinda on the fence about Michael Hedges. I think I just need to listen to him a little more. It's just that he does seem to descend at times into musical navel gazing, if you know what I mean, though he does write some gorgeous music too (after all, apparently he's not a guitarist, he's a "compooooserrr...oooo"). I just wish he had a little more of an "edge" to him.
I think Jack Johnson's recordings are pretty good. Very good imaging on both CD's. The only thing I don't like is that on some tracks the vocals come primarily from the right side, which seems odd to me.
I would also recommend, Ben Harper, Kings of Leon, Mason Jennings, Donavan Frankenreiter, and Ben Kweller if you dig Jack.
also, if you like jack johnson.. try jason mraz.. he should have a new album out after the new year.. i am looking forward to it..
bigjohn
Kaki King's website has a
cool video (Windows Media Player required). Amazing talent!
What's with you and the Windows Media? Dude!
Yea da%$it!!!!
Give us QuikTime, or else!
I link to the formats available. If there were a choice, naturally I'd pick something else.
My philosophy is use the player to fit the media, not say "Oh, well! Can't/Won't play that one!" if it doesn't fit my OS politics.
Yeah, me too. Just giving you crap.
I'm tellin you bro', she's a kick-a$$ guitarist. Check out her CD and let me know what you think.
-JT
Just picked up Kaki today....OH MY!!
The headphones at Barnes & Noble do not do her justice!!
I understand her CD before "Legs to Make You Longer" may even be better.