Customer Reviews

This Is What Happens

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have bought all three The Reign of Kindo albums, and this new release is just as amazing as the other two. They are phenomenal writers and musicians. The piano, the vocals, the jazz infusion, everything is beautifully done and a real pleasure to listen to. If you like talented musicians, you should definitely buy this and all their albums!

I was seriously blown away by this album. I honestly didn't think they could top Rhythm Chord & Melody - but to my delight it is supremely better. Thank you gentlemen for such an awesome album! It was truly worth the wait.

I can't wait for these guys to go on tour with this new album. It's a great progression. Check them out if you can locally. Great band.

It's not a quick hook like they did to me with their EP or in the Rhythm, Chord, and Melody.

The melody is beautiful. Lots of things are going on every second of each songs.
For me, the emotion across the whole album is brighter than previous album.
I especially love how they play with 'til we made our ascent' and made it to 'Now we've made our ascent', It shows how talented they are as a musician.

Overall, an hour with this album is an amazing journey!

I recently discovered the "awesomeness" that is Kindo a few months ago after a friend let me listen in on a couple of their songs from the Rhythm Chord & Melody album. Immediately, I was blown away by how amazing the quality of their music was. The genre of music falls somewhere in between indie and piano jazz, somewhat reminiscent to Mr. Ben Fold's "Piano Rock", but certainly not copied.

"This is What Happens" certainly brings plenty more of what the fans have come to love about Kindo, but also brings some great new stylization to some songs. This, like their previous albums, is chock full of excellent tunes, many of them moving, all of them beautifully performed. It's a rarity this day in age to find an album you could listen all the way through ten million times over, but this is certainly one of them. I recommend Kindo to anyone who is a lover of music!

I bought the EP, Rhythm Chord& Melody, and now This is What Happens. The Reign of Kindo never disappoints. I saw them in 2008, and they were even more incredible live. They quickly became one of my favorite bands, and I honestly feel that they're some of the most talented musicians around. This album is fabulous just like I expected it would be.

It's difficult to identify a genre for Reign of Kindo. These are highly skilled musicians that play stepped up singer/songwriter-type songs, but at the same time, that's not giving them enough credit. I've listened to their former band, This Day & Age, but Reign of Kindo is definitely a step up from there.

I have found myself replaying both of their full-length CD's regularly; these songs don't grow old. Highly, highly recommended.

This band is simply astounding, for its capability to play a genre that goes from jazz to indie rock. I've been listening to this cd for a month or so, and i still can't get tired of it. A must-have

From my music blog, Mystery Tricycle:

What is going on here? What am I listening to? I'm hearing musical elements like jazz fusion, piano rock, and ambient pop. I'm also hearing a songwriting style that is creatively poetic and resplendently attacked. With all of the promise of indie-folk and all the audacity of progressive neo-jazz, my first exposure to The Reign of Kindo is a torrent of sublime energy.

It is definitely more effective to talk about `This is What Happens` holistically. At the component level, The Reign of Kindo offers a collection of musical and lyrical elements that are superb in their own right, but their strongest skill may be their approach to assembly and blending.

The quality that grabs me first about almost every track is the expansive sound schema that The Reign of Kindo has created. Piano lends itself to being a very enveloping instrument, but when mixed with a potent assortment of fusion drums and spot-on mixing/mastering, the beautiful lyrics are just gravy. Headphones are a great conduit to immersion in this album.

Lyrics on the album support the complicated weaving of music, and add new layers of textured thought to an already strong set of compositions. Every lyric seems to be very thoughtful and emotive, devoid of filler and fluff. Every song is a poem layered on to a brilliant composition.

This disc has been criticized as being too closely tied to TROK's first release, `Rhythm, Chord & Melody' and I can definitely seem some solid ground beneath that argument. The band's formula is a good one, and I think there is still some intrinsic value in the arrangement of sounds these guys have pulled together, but their third release will not be successful if the band doesn't learn that innovation is a dynamic process. Simply repeating the first successful equation, no matter how unique, doesn't have lasting effects in attracting new listeners.

What I like the most about the disc is that it's difficult to describe with words. Qualitatively, these are some brilliant musicians, but on top of the normal metrics, there is something special about what is going on here. Sweet harmonies, creative rhythms and a truly unique approach to neo-jazz indie fusion is something that everyone with a pulse can enjoy.

The Good: Creativity at its finest, the first pass through this album is an endeavor in to a strange land...

The Bad: ...but once you understand the algorithm, I don't feel like there is much replay value in the disc. The curve of tepid comfort with this weird brand of jazz is pretty sharp, and you may not enjoy the second listen nearly as much.

The Verdict: Certainly a good purchase, and I'm glad I did. I get tired of the terms `indie' and `indie folk' becoming interchangeable. Independent music, with a true message, innovative characteristics, and an unorthodox approach helps separate the cream from the crap.

Really enjoy listening to this band. Very intelligent pop. Does not allow you to get bored with it's sound, while keeping melody in track. Love the addition of the strings on some songs. Cannot believe that this band is not more well-known. I will do my part, by playing some of this for anyone that likes good, innovative and catchy music. Thanks for another great CD!