Customer Reviews

Are Here & More

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maybe they are, and maybe they were somewhat influenced by the other popular bands of the time, but The Kings have an excellent sound. Their flagship song, "Switching to Glide/This Beat Goes On", is one song that totally blew me away in the 80's (And I never forgot it either). Amidst all of the sound-alike techno-trash that was rampant in the 80's, Switching to glide stood on it's own. And this, in spite of the fact that the song uses a lot synthesized sound. The reason is simple: It's good music.

Crunch can be good, but music would be boring if all songs had guitars running through fuzz pedals, sustainers and overdriven tube amps. Although the original incarnation of the group used keyboards, the fact that the lead singer has an awesome voice, all of them are great musicians, and that they made a song that I could never forget, makes the whole issue of *which* instruments they used, pointless.

I haven't purchased the album yet, but the price is well worth just the one song. And I am very thankful that their website has the lyrics for 'Glide on it - I have been trying to figure them out since I first heard the song.

I've looked high and low for the CD version of "The Kings Are Here"(my album got trashed during my college years). I finally found it with two clicks of a mouse. And I wasn't dissapointed. The Kings sound as fresh as they did back in 1981. The songs "The Beat Goes on/Switching to Glide" and "Partyitis" are worth the price of the CD alone. They contiue to be great party songs. The rest of the CD has some hidden gems which I forgot about, but they are great toons ("Run Shoes Running", "It's Okay" and "Right to the Top"). I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves 80's alternative rock like "The Romantics", "The Kingbees" and "The Knack".

Contrary to some of the reviews that I have read on this site, the Kings never went away. They were just pinched into a corner (Like a lot of good bands) by the stifling Madison Avenue record company machine that promotes only what they believe will sell to non descript consumers. (How else can you explain the Back Street Boys & Britney Spears). This album is excellent and holds it's own and then some over today's contemporary pop/rock. To get even more information about the Kings, check out their web site...!

I bought this for beat goes on/swichin' to glide. I was pleasantly surprised that the other songs did not suck. There are a lot of fun songs on this album. it's okay, and go away are great simple songs, If The Stars Come Out Tonight is great!!! I got this from the other sellers for $7.50 and it is well worth it! if you like the 2 hits I am certain you will find many other songs on this disc that will surprise you too.

I played this casette tape so much in high school that the ink came off of both sides. It looked like a blank tape. I recently bought this from somebody here on Amazon and was transported back to the beautiful 1980s. So many great songs other than "Swithcing to Glide" here. "Love Store" and "My Habit" to name a few. Great stuff from these Canadian rockers.

Or it could be more accurate to say The Kings "Were" Here. Not that The Kings are gone, just that they were never able to repeat the magic that this fantastic album invokes.

Most remember the excellent up-tempo party tunes "This Beat Goes On/Switch Into Glide" hits from the early 80's. But There's more... This album has many hidden treasures. All of the original (10) tracks rock. My personal favourites are "It's OK", "Love Store" and "Don't Let Me Know". The bonus tracks are good but don't have quite the same power as the tracks on the 1980 release.

If you like loud, up-tempo pop-punk sound (early Elvis Costello, Early Cheap Trick). Then you'll Love this album as I do.

The Kings quickly came and went, but what they left behind is definitely worth owning. Released about 1980, this is a great collection of pop/rock music leading into the alternative rock era. Many people point to "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions" by Queen, or "the side B suite" on Abbey Road as the best multiple song runs ever recorded. The fact is that "This Beat Goes On/Switching to Glide" surpasses anything I've heard, and is worth the price of the album. 5-stars!

This is a really good album. Every song on this cd is listenable and many are excellent. "This Beat Goes On/Switchin to Glide" and "Partyitis" are nice party tunes. "Running Shoes Running" and "Don't Let Me Know" are great pop rock songs. The And More portion of the CD contains slower songs that remind me of Oasis or Limp Biskit tunes. I would reccommend "The Kings Are Here and More" to anybody.

The hit from this album is now a video, find 'Switchin' to Glide' on youtube, it is a must. And the website, [...] Lots of good music on this cd, it makes you want to hear more. If we do say so ourselves, thanks to all our fans who took the time to write these reviews, they mean a lot, D and Z.

... and then....then....they came! The Kings! What a sound!! It was nice to hear a good groove, good keyboards, and understandable (if not meaningful) lyrics! "This Beat Goes On/Switching to Glide" is the ONLY hit I remember ... If you want to know about the end of the 70's and the beginning of the 80's, this is as good a place musically to start as any other album from 1980. It may even be a better one; you won't be overwhelmed with anything political or social here; just fun grooves that make the most cynical people bop for a few minutes.