When “Heavy Handed” starts playing, I got the feeling this album was about to peel my wig back with fast riffs and hard breakdowns all the way through. Instead, you’re treated to a full pallet of sound and story showing Gypsy Temple’s talent is well beyond their years. Their highly anticipated album King Youngblood was debuted by Alternative Press with glowing reviews.
Lavi-Jones and his band of young-bloods have crafted a sound that is all their own while vaguely reminiscent of alternative powerhouse performers like Coheed and Cambria, Of Monsters and Men, and Live (a semi-popular alternative-rock band from the 90s’).
Songs like “Today,” “King Youngblood,” and “The Joke,” show this unit’s ability to paint vivid emotions with descriptive lyrics and powerfully orchestrated rock music with just the right amount of ear-splitting guitar solo’s and electric-violin.
There’s a lot of music in this album that will find a home on your playlists for years to come. This album doesn’t quite capture the raw energy Gypsy Temple live performances are known for, but it absolutely showcases their curious potential. In an age where rock and roll is the last kid picked for kickball, Gypsy Temple is turning heads back towards Seattle’s rock and roll culture.
