MEMPHIS RADIO KINGS: No Band In The Happy Place

Memphis Radio Kings

No Band In The Happy Place

© 2002 Memphis Radio Kings (621365053625)

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Part pop, part twang, and parts unknown...

tracks

1 Waiting On a Train
2 Windsong
3 Wasted Years
4 Easy Chair
5 Twenty-Seven
6 Hollywood
7 Same Old Me
8 Arizona
9 Find My Way
10 Which Side Are You On
11 Talk to Strangers
12 Texas & Tennessee
13 Searchin' For Salvation

notes

Memphis Radio Kings are a dynamic music trio that combines a full, rich acoustic guitar with the bluesy twang of a masterfully played Telecaster, charismatic vocals, and incessant driving drums. These three witty lads from Seattle lay down an irresistible rootsy mix of heartfelt rock and pop that, according to one reviewer, "lands somewhere between Minneapolis and Mississippi". Their sophomore release, No Band In The Happy Place, has taken them to the next level, garnering them much critical acclaim to augment their expanding notoriety for high-energy live performances.

Memphis Radio Kings have been honing their sweet arsenal of hooks and jabs since they joined forces at the close of the 20th century, crafting songs that borrowed liberally from all their favorite musical styles: 70s rock, indie-pop, gospel, blues, and alt-country. Writing songs that first pleased themselves then eventually their friends and fans was, and remains, their only goal.

Charlie Beck fronts the band on lead vocals and rhythm/bass acoustic guitar. His aggressive energy and emotional edginess is woven through every song and is expressed through his crackly-but-sweet tenor. A prolific songwriter, Charlie keeps the band fresh with new songs, new ideas, and a snappy wardrobe.

Tim Jones, on lead guitar, is a musician's musician. Renowned for his inventive sounds and elegant, instinctive technique, Tim is always experimenting with new tones and textures. His signature style, prowess on harmonica and kazoo and stunning vocal harmonies always prompts a jaw-dropping gaze followed by a "Who IS that guy".

Drummer/percussionist/backing vocalist Tony Leamer is even more than all that. Never satisfied with the norm, he constantly pushes the band past the formulaic pitfalls of the pop song structure and sound. His relentless beats, Moon-like enthusiasm, and fearless honesty always push the band past its creative edge - always truer, always upward.

Memphis Radio Kings are not resting on their laurels - 2003 holds much in store for them. Their not-so-evil plot to conquer the world with their unique sound and style is coming to fruition slowly and steadily. Radio stations are playing MRK music on-line and on-air from Australia to Alaska. Their music will be featured in an independent film to be released later this year. Last, but not least, since the release of No Band In The Happy Place and despite a busy schedule of live performances, they have written enough new material to record another CD. Memphis Radio Kings are bent on winning over the masses with their musical pilgrimage to the promised land of perfectly crafted emotional rock.

reviews

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  • Musical Craftsmanship at its Best
    author: Chad Tehan

    Merely as a fan and not a critic, I want to give you what I find to be the most engaging aspects of the songs from No Band In The Happy Place. I particularly enjoy of the songs Wind Song, Wasted Years, Twenty Seven, and Which Side Are You On. The things I like about Wind Song are the jumpy, hard driving nature of the riffs Charlie (rythem guitar/ vocals) and Tim (lead guitar) have put together complemented by the tempered vocal harmonies of a number about alcohol fueled, entangled passion. The mournful lyrics of Wasted Years recall the greatest of spiteful country ballads. Tim’s guitar on this track purposefully accompanies the reflective lyrics of Wasted Years. As twenty-seven rises on the crafted licks of Tim Jones, I recall that the number twenty-seven has many connotations in the music world and the symbolism of that number is well represented in the metaphoric lyrics sung by Charlie Beck about lost love. Lastly, the questioning lyrics of Which Side Are You On, call into account the spiritual allegiance of the subject. Furthermore, the lyrics recall the difficult decisions we face in remaining true to ourselves, in my estimation. This album is supported by strong tracks like Waiting on a Train, Easy Chair, Same Old Me, Texas and Tennessee all of which highlight the Blues, Country, Southern, Gospel, Post Punk influences of the MRK. With Tony (drummer) to hold it all together and provide harmony the mastery of their work is richer. I remember the first time I saw this band live and I thought “what an interesting sound”. It certainly wasn’t something I was accustoming to hearing in the Seattle scene and I’ve been an avid listener ever since.

  • Somewhere between The Replacements and Lightin' Hopkins, this country-flavored p
    author: John H./Delusions of Adequacy

    On their debut, the Memphis Radio Kings teased us with promise. After the glow faded from the stunning opener, "Givin' Up," the disc took turns fading and reviving in a pleasant, yet uneven set list. However, the Seattle trio's sophomore release, No Band in the Happy Place, offers and fulfills its promise from start to finish. The haunting opener, "Waiting on a Train," as good or better in every respect as "Givin' Up," encapsulates the Memphis Radio Kings - the smart pop hooks, smooth singing, and entrancing Memphis-tinged rumbling guitar - at their finest. And, instead of letting one great song dangle noticeably in front of an average album, the band stretches out its signature songs and musicianship through 12 finely crafted songs. No Band in the Happy Place originally filters all the musical flavors of middle America into smart, thoroughly enjoyable pop rock. Seattle area writer Steve Stav summed up the Memphis Radio Kings' sound perfectly in writing, "the Kings have produced a record that has roots somewhere between Minneapolis and Mississippi - between the Replacements and Lightnin' Hopkins." It's more bluesy than early 60s British Invasion pop, more pop than the Replacements, and more punk than Sun Studio rockabilly. And, as the playful riff from "Purple Rain" in "Wasted Years," suggests, the Minneapolis influence springs from more than just The Replacements. No Band in a Happy Place sits comfortably in between all of these influences, letting the band pick what suits them best from each style. Highlighting their connection to Southern roots music, the Memphis Radio Kings guide these songs without a bass. On their debut, without the crutch of a solid bass line, several songs gamely drifted about not hitting the listener with the impact they should have. Since then, the band's songwriting has progressed dramatically, writing tunes specifically to showcase their talents and their instrumentation. On No Band in the Happy Place, you hardly notice the bass is gone. Tony Leamer's drums power and skip playfully through the set, keeping the music frantically ahead of conventional pop-rock beats. Charlie Beck's voice finds a home in each of these songs. His slightly scuffed-up tenor perfectly balances between sugary pop and urgent, emotionally-charged post-punk rock. But these songs belong to Tim Jones' guitar. Whether he's behind these scenes playing off Leamer's drums in a two-step boogie, or if he's in front bending notes in effortless quick country-blues solos, his stamp is all over this music. He leaves the listener an impression that he's some grizzled session guitarist, who's seen it all and played it all. His performances never muscle out the rest of the band. Instead, the notes and textures his guitar conjures only increase the atmosphere and overall effect of each song. In No Band in the Happy Place, the Memphis Radio Kings have an exceptional, confident collection of country-flavored power pop. With any luck and justice, the work they've given us will gain them much more attention than this review. They certainly deserve it. If not, they should be proud that in this album, they've added several fresh gallons to the Mississippi River's musical legacy. - John H., 1/20/03

  • Memphis Radio Kings put listeners in a "happy place"
    author: Steve Stav/The Ballard News Tribune

    The trio has every right to be giddily optimistic, for their soon-to-be-released disc, No Band In The Happy Place, is truly remarkable. By blending a certain blue-collar poignancy with fiery Midwestern bar-band determination and raw-as-an-open-wound, front-porch bottleneck guitar, the Kings have produced a record that has roots somewhere between Minneapolis and Mississippi -- between the Replacements and Lightnin' Hopkins. Of course, the Seattle-based Memphis Radio Kings - individually or collectively - haven't been anywhere near those exotic places...or Tennessee, for that matter. No Band In The Happy Place, a collection of songs written over the past two years, was recorded "over a couple of boys' weekends out" in Vancouver, B.C.'s Mushroom Studios. Produced so well (by Colin Nairne) that it doesn't seem produced at all, the disc has an effortless, rootsy feel to it - the same kind of roots-pop that groups like R.E.M., the dB's, Let's Active, and the aformentioned Replacements revived twenty years ago. Charlie Beck's plaintive vocal delivery and lyrical inspirations are key to that intimate sound. From the chock-full-of-reget "Wasted Years" to the wistful "Same Old Me" and tempered anger of "Arizona," Beck conveys a myriad of emotions in a style similar to heroes Westerberg and Chilton, without being overly emulative. Though their often-sparse compositions spotlight each band member's talent , the star of the Kings' live show has to be Tim Jones, a fantastic sort of Telecaster-savant who is less concerned about the technical aspects of guitar playing and more interested with producing a great sound. The man bends tones so sharply, it often seems as if he's playing an old lap steel. Like his cohorts, he hasn't been playing this kind of music forever; he once played in L.A. metal bands... Realizing that they have something special on their hands, the group (who sometimes perform a cover medley of Judas Priest's "Breakin' The Law," Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon," and "The Breakup Song," by Greg Kihn) want to tour in support of the new disc, if given the opportunity. Until their '63 Ford Falcon bus hits the highway, the band will be playing extensively about Seattle. And, though their enthusiasm is catching, this band of thirty-somethings have been around the block enough times to know not to set unattainable goals. "It's like climbing another rung on the ladder...it's our second record, and it's a great record," Beck unabashedly stated, adding, "I can't wait to make the next one."

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