How Cavalier King Ruined My Bombass Playlist...
Now, I've never been much of a DJ. There's a lot of pressure involved in making a good compilation of songs, so instead of troubling myself I simply keep my iPod on shuffle and demand mixtapes from friends without requiting. I also buy lots of movie soundtracks because those do the mixing for me. These sly maneuvers free me to be critical of other people's choices without having to showcase any of my own. So imagine my surprise when I found myself resurrecting a bygone attempt at a "driving mix" this weekend. I got out the old standbys, a little Johnny Cash, Pearl Jam, some Flaming Lips and Propellerheads, a little Nsync for good measure. It was cute, I was really inspired to make it right. And I almost did, until I added Cavalier King to the lineup.I know what you're thinking: Cavalier King is awesome, what could possibly be the problem? But that's exactly it. People dig my mix (and by extension, me) until they get to CK's "Sun Revolution." At which point they fall in love with Cavalier King and want to hear more of his album, completely losing interest in my incredible playlist (and by extension, me). It's happened 3 times already.
I'd be much madder at these people if I weren't just like them. Once Cavalier King pops up on my playlist, I immediately want to hear more of it and cue up all his tracks. Something about Chris Taylor's Thom Yorke-ish voice and bleating U2 guitar riffs and soaring ballads about intergalactic heroes (I think?) just tells a great story you want to keep hearing. And when you listen to the album front to back, you realize what an explosively creative and continuous whole it is. (Taylor is apparently some sort of renaissance man and/or control freak and even designed the album art himself.*) It seems almost wrong to splice out a song for something as pedestrian as my mix.
So, my bombass playlist sits on the backburner, again, until I can stop listening to this album over and over. Thanks a LOT, Cavalier King.
*A taste of the addictive nonsense you'll find on his website: "The "Cavalier King" is a mythical hero who inadvertently annihilates the world in his vain attempt to save his true love and himself from the perilous schemes of his treacherous ministers. In a vengeful fury, the betrayed King sets in motion events that lead inevitably to the complete destruction of his native planet. Surviving the blast alone, however, he travels the galaxy on myriad adventures around the Sun while he laments the heavy losses he incurred during the first revolution. He eventually finds himself on the former water planet, Earth, and becomes the reluctant leader of a global insurrection. Bent on redemption, Cavalier King pledges not to repeat the mistakes he made on his home planet and so pioneers a new ethos in the galaxy."
Cavalier King plays The Living Room (Corner of Ludlow & Stanton, NYC) Tuesday, Dec 19.
Cavalier King - "Renegade" mp3 buy
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