Recorded in intermittent moments while on relentless 2008 and 2009 tours, the Cliks' second record, Dirty King, betrays its own piecemeal nature, but does it in a good way, giving the versatile band a chance to show off its many faces. Led by the sexual-grit-and-sawdust-laced vocals of Lucas (once Lilia) Silvieri, the Toronto band deals in late-night-tryst style rock & roll in almost any of the forms that description could conjure up. Dirty King opens on its trademarked note of slinky syncopated sensuality, moving from the bluesy, Pretenders-esque "Haunted" to the fevered, Cramps-like gin-joint reverie of the title track. The Cliks can switch easily from channeling Concrete Blonde (with a touch of U2's spiraling, arching guitars) on "Not Your Boy" to mid-career Beatles on "Red and Blue" to Gwen Stefani mixing it up with the Buzzcocks on "Henry." It's all delivered through some nifty production that strikes a balanced pose between down-and-dirty unpredictability and bright and clean pop. Dirty King is a smart, sexy clarion call to be taken seriously by a rock foursome who deserve to be noted for more than their lead singer's gender-bend.
I was going to tell you about Ben Wardle and his wonderful blog, but today he shut it down. Like a drummer who can't work out the beginning to "Rock And Roll", my timing is off. Ben has been in A&R, management, run a record label (he released Joe Strummer's work) and is now a journalist. I've never figured out how freelance journalists with a family to support can make a living from writing and...
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This band had one of my favorite lps of the year back in '07.There is a really interesting story behind this hard rocking band. The band formed in the middle of the decade in Toronto and immediately began gaining a ton of notice for two things: their blistering stage show and that the band's lead singer is a transgendered male (singer Lucas Silveira used to be a female) who is leading an all-femal
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I just discovered this group. They are an all female (kind of) Canadian band that are big with the Logo crowd, but that's not why you should give them a listen. They have a great rock sound and a lead singer that sounds like Gwen Stefani. Picture No Doubt- less ska, more rock. On there new CD they also employ some strings (like on this button track) which lends a refreshing quality to what you ...
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I love these tracks and vids. You should too. Bc I said so... (The Cliks- Dirty King) (Pac Div- Mayor) (Coldplay- Strawberry Swing)
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 "Dirty King")
