REVIEW: Prawn – ‘Kingfisher’

Prawn Kingfisher

Artist: Prawn
Title: Kingfisher
Genre: Indie Rock, Emo
Label: Topshelf Records

I remember the first time I heard a Prawn song. One of my friends — the same guy who had introduced me to Seahaven — messaged me on Facebook with a link to “Why You Always Leave A Note” off of their split with Joie De Vivre. I thought the song was okay. I liked that they sounded a lot like Into It. Over It. I stayed online and muffled through more of their music, and their song “Costa Rica” caught my attention. In a nutshell, Prawn’s music possesses this really mundane quality that is continuously redeemed by trumpet solos and sprightly lead guitar riffs.

Kingfisher, the band’s newest full-length, is Prawn’s follow-up to their debut record from 2012. Coming up stronger than ever, Kingfisher contains a lot of the qualities You Can Just Leave It All lacked. Opening in the most cunning manner, “Scud Running” immediately clues us in on all the good stuff. The repeated lines that house themselves in your head and the minute-long introductions are undoubtedly a few of the things they’ve managed to keep throughout their first release up until this new one. The best choice as a follow-up track, “Prolonged Exposure” maintains the durable pace of the record and holds you over until the next. A lot more vigorous-sounding than the other tracks, “Dialectic Of…” is definitely my favorite.

The line, “We’re old souls in new skin,” from their song “Old Souls,” perfectly described this record. The band has been around since 2007 but they haven’t come up to the surface until a couple of years ago and this new record is definitely a facelift in terms of the band’s character. The record ends with a song entitled “Halcyon Days.” I had to look up what “halcyon” meant and found that it’a both a type of Asian and African kingfisher, and it’s also the concept of looking back at relative period of time where everything was ideally satisfactory. I thought this title was clever and I enjoyed how well thought-out it appears to have been.

Although their sound tends to get stale after a couple of subsequent rounds of listening, Kingfisher is a solid progression from YCJLIA. This record could have used a little more diversity and spice when it comes to its overall dynamic, but it is perfect for situations such as those long in-tunnel (The Perks of Being A Wallflower’s last scene) drives. Kingfisher’s sound and the words behind it give you a sense of infinity and it’s a record that those unfamiliar with Prawn should give the time of day.

SCORE: 7.5/10
Review written by Dana Reandelar

Dana Reandelar
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