The King’s Parade Lives In The Moment On Latest Single “Mad”

Written by AZRIL

Upon first hearing The King’s Parade’s newest single, “Mad,” you’re allured in an upbeat style of acoustical alchemy type of way, very much reminiscent of both The Black Keys and the Alabama Shakes. When you listen further, “Mad” croons further as craggy as Olly Corpe’s vocals vim and vigor, while weaving a revealingly heartening mind meandering tale of new love within it.

The King’s Parade conventionally coined their formation in 2015 on a cruise liner; however, they’ve been piece by piece compounding since around 2009. Two of its members, Olly Corpe and Sam Rooney officially met around that time, and the two other members, Chris Bent and Tom English linked up around 2012. They were founded in York, England while fusing an energetic amalgam of Alternative and Soul on two acclaimed EP releases, “Vagabond” and “Haze.” The King’s Parade’s catalogue of what I like to call ‘surrogate-soul’ can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.

The King’s Parade’s “Mad” diatonically develops Corpe’s in-moment amorous account both distinctly and dynamically, and it seems to whimsically whirl you through the song with him. With lyrics like, “I thought I saw something in the corner of your eye / a flashing of light like a diamond in the sky…Did I fall too deep like the other times?” denote a romantic sway that swings amid almost every ventured and veneered love adventure.

“We recorded ‘Mad’ at RAK studios in London which is one of our favourite studios. It’s got an old school vibe which just seems to fit with what we do. We were all playing in one room which was important for this song because we wanted to make sure we could bounce off each other’s energy,” says band member, Olly Corpe. “At the time of recording the vocals, we actually had a few people in the control room visiting RAK so it was like having a bit of an audience. In some cases that might not be the best thing, but for this recording it meant that I put all my energy into it. I wanted the people behind the glass to be able to feel every word I was singing. I felt that if I managed to get them to feel something at this stage of the recording, then I knew it would be a good take.”

“Mad” exasperatedly edges Corpe’s experience further with potent and passionate inspired impressions like, “Cuz I swear it’s late, and I’m getting high… / and I thought I saw you in the middle of the night.” It’s as if “Mad”‘s amusing adoration intensely idolatries right before the listeners proverbial eyes.

“The whole song is about spontaneity and feeling something in a moment; this was exactly how we all felt when we recorded this,” says Olly. “In the end, the vocals were recorded in a single take which seems pretty fitting.”

My newfound fanship and favoritism toward The King’s Parade and their latest single, “Mad,” likely stems from an appreciation of one of the best songwriters alive, Sting and his predecessor The Police. Both Sting and The Police also fused two genres of music together in a manner that you’d preconceive to be uncouth on the surface. Yet upon listening to their music both heartily and phonically, you’re enforced to embrace their creative conception on a level that likely catapults its conceptualization by way of birthing other breakthrough fans and artists like the originators before them.

It would be way cool to both hear and see more artists of the Alternative Soul genre. Shouts to The King’s Parade on this latest single release, “Mad”; its got great spirit and I’m genuinely fascinated with it on many levels, especially with its Alternative Soul sound.

Listen To “Mad”

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