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Feb 19,2006 - Feb 26,2006 |
The Philosopher Kings
Toronto soulsters make a welcome return with 'Castles'
By Kerry Doole
Originally Published: 2006-01-29
It's not unusual for a popular band to take a break, allow its members to do their own thing, then resume their career. It's less common for such a 'hiatus' to last nine years, as has been the case with Toronto soul-popsters The Philosopher Kings.
That's how long it's been since their second studio album, 1997's Famous, Rich And Beautiful. There was a live album in 1999, One Hot Night, but the group has been completely AWOL since then. Often groups reunite when the solo projects of its members flop, and they retreat to the safety of the proven brand name. Not so The Philosopher Kings, as all five original members have gone on to write impressive and multi-platinum success stories as songwriters, musicians and producers.
Those stories are still appearing, but the busy Kings have found time to write and record a new album, Castles. Original members Gerald Eaton, Jon Levine, Brian West and James Bryan return, along with drummer Denton Whited (Jay Levine is absent). Given their typically romantic and soulful sound, the record is fittingly released on Valentine's Day, while its first single, "Castles In The Sand," has already scored impressive airplay.
To get the lowdown on the PK reunion, we recently interviewed guitarist James Bryan (aka James McCollum) in a Queen Street coffee shop. "It was a big gamble, but we just really wanted to do another album," he explains. "We all got to the point where we realized if we didn't do it now it just wasn't going to happen. I know we are a great live band and we have a chemistry that is really hard to duplicate. Working with other artists helped us all realize that."
The recording sessions for Castles reportedly went smoothly and rapidly, and the disc has a pleasingly unfussy and relaxed vibe to it. The soulful voice of Eaton (aka Jarvis Church) remains in top form, and the musicianship of his comrades is of a very high quality. That combination took The Philosopher Kings to a rapid rise to Canadian stardom in the mid '90s.
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