The moment the rap vocals of ‘I’ll Do It’ kick in, a lot of people will probably turn this EP straight off. However, Illegitimate Sons of The Kings are worth sticking with, as given half a chance they might just charm you with the incisive, socially aware lyrics that lie being that machine-gun rap rattle.
‘I’ll Do It’ is all larger louts, anti-social behaviour and pub brawls that could have been written about your own dodgy local. In a stroke of genius, Illegitimate Sons of The King blend in an undercurrent of smooth pop vocals that act as the initial hook for all those who usually steer well clear of the rap genre. Once its pop leanings have secured your attention, those rap vocals gradually reveal themselves as the tongue-in-cheek social commentary they are. Toss in some squealing chords and rattling drums that keep time with the vocals and give them a harder-rocking edge, and ‘I’ll Do It’ might just surprise you by worming its way into your affections.
Illegitimate Sons of The King then do a u-turn, eschewing the clued-up rap that makes ‘I’ll Do It’ so great, in favour of some distinctly average indie-rock for second track ‘Go You Let Me.’ Tinkling piano strains see ‘Go You Let Me’ edging its way into the mass-appeal territory of radio-rock acts such as The Feeling, and layered harmonies ensure the snappy pop chorus will be tormenting you for days to come. However, ‘Go You Let Me’ is ultimately music at its most frustrating: catchy, decently-produced by a tight-sounding band - but nothing to really warrant getting excited about, because we’ve already heard this all before.
And then we’re back to innovative rap rock for ‘Jack’s Trousers.’ It’s difficult to dislike a song that features the willfully bonkers chorus: “we laughed, ‘till we cried / when our Jack lost his trousers.” Even better, ‘Jack’s Trousers’ sees the return of George Clode’s witty rapping, with those immediate pop vocals acting as a much-needed route into the lyrical webs Clode seems to spin so effortlessly.
Multi-layered vocals make the chorus resemble a barroom-singalong and, together with the mentalist lyrics and rattling piano, ensures that ‘Jack’s Trousers’ is a blast to listen to. On the downside, the bridge section of warbling vocals and queasy piano sounds jarring, sandwiched as it is between two slices of that lovable, working class chorus. There’s also a cry of “watch out!” right at the beginning that might have you switching off before you realise just how great ‘Jack’s Trousers’ actually is.
And then, Illegitimate Sons of The King turn their backs on rap (again) for another dabble in straightforward rock. ‘Running In The Family’ reaches for stadium-sized social angst, and very nearly gets there. The synth-studded, melodically plodding backing track is delicately downbeat, and the pre-chorus build-up is all disgustedly-spat vocals that inject some variety and prevent ‘Running In The Family’ from becoming dour.
But, there’s one major problem with ‘Running In The Family,’ and that’s the cringe-worthy lyrics (“her mother never loved her…….her parents always argued / but she never saw them fight / that’s because they waited until she turned out the light.”) ‘Running In The Family’ would fall into the ‘enjoyable but forgettable’ category, if it doesn’t see Illegitimate Sons of The King desperate to prove they’re just like you, they feel your pain. It makes ‘Running In The Family’ vaguely uncomfortable to listen to.
‘I’ll Do It’ and ‘Jack’s Trousers’ are lovable, everyman songs recounting tales of embarrassing drunken dancing and childhood shenanigans that you’re bound to identify with. However, this lyrical brilliance is balanced by ‘Running In The Family’ which, in its we’re-down-with-the-kids desperation, is actually pretty embarrassing. But, at least half of this demo is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and Illegitimate Sons of The King might just be the band to change your preconceptions regarding rap.
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![Sturgis Trash - Untitled [Podcast]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/file.png)
Sturgis Trash - Untitled [Podcast]
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Illegitimate Sons of The King - Untitled (EP)
