Sandrider/Kinski Split Review

February 25, 2015 - featured, headlines, reviews

By Jeffery McNulty

Did you know that Kinski has been an active band in Seattle for seventeen years? For me that’s a huge thing. They’ve gone through a few changes, line up and otherwise, but they have been playing, touring and putting out excellent records the entire time. This split with Sandrider will be something like their 12th release! For a while there they were really super shoegazey and psychedelic-one of the few bands flying that flag in this town. They have a bit more stripped down sound lately (think early Loop as opposed to late Swervedriver) and there is a little late 60’s Motor City style garage rock thrown in as well. Their side is two songs totaling fourteen minutes of fuzzed-out guitar leads, heavy riffs and big verby drums. I love the long song titles too!

Their shows are always bombastic which puts them in good company with Sandrider, a band peopled with musicians that have been rocking for just as long albeit under different names (Akimbo & The Ruby Doe both extremely crucial if you haven’t heard those bands yet). The first track ”Rain” is classic Sandrider right out the gate but then winds down almost tenderly before the next song “Glaive” kicks in showing that Jon has grown into his role as a guitar player and they are firing on all 8 cylinders here. The backing vocals on this song are incredible.

And then they do something that warmed my heart and made me love them more than I already did and I didn’t think that was possible: they covered Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song,” one of my favorite songs of all time. Now to some of you that might seem lame, but as they say, “Everybody has their own opinions!” They do a great job of making the cover their own while still staying very true to the original.

You can see these two monolithic bands share the stage this Saturday the 28th at Neumos, a fitting stage for such awesomeness. Opening up for them are Good to Die label-mates Blood Drugs, whose new record is about to drop soon as well. They are another kick ass local band so, as I always say, show up on time and see you there!