To Kill a King
To Kill a King
(Xtra Mile Recordings)

Sophomore records are a tricky business. With this self-titled album, To Kill a King has managed to hedge their bets. Nothing about this record is particularly mind-blowing, but it’s certainly competent British indie rock.

The most representative track on the record is the opener. In “Compare Scars,” a folksy, quiet intro gives way to a stomping beat and uplifting chorus that lands like an electric guitar-driven Mumford & Sons. The band swings between these two poles throughout To Kill a King, and occasionally the songs rise up to be great rather than just good. “Oh My Love” features backing vocals that are nearly moaned, and the lyrics are a striking meditation on mortality. “Good Times (A Rake’s Progress)” is an amusingly upbeat, singsongy approach to a man confronting his own unhealthy lifestyle. The brief final track “Today” starts with acoustic strumming and expands to include horns and backing vocals that sound like they’re straight off a gramophone. It’s a clever touch that infuses nostalgia at the end of the record.

There’s certainly a lot of potential here, though it is somewhat frustrating to think of all To Kill a King could have been. They could be a band on the rise as long as they challenge themselves in the future. Let’s hope so.