Kyle Thomas's King Tuff made his reputation at the noisier end of Garage Rock. There were always signs of a much mellower individual underneath, but these songs seemed just an album one off to show he could do something different.
There were signs of a change on the last album when a focus on melody was managing to push the door open a little more, but with Smalltown Stardust the circle is complete. This is a joyous, retro album, very 70s and it is frighteningly good.
So much so that although King Tuff has a larger presence, popular wise, than I Don't Hear A Single covers, it is absolutely essential that others listen to it. For example, Portrait Of God could be something off a Bolan album or even UK cult hero, Comfort.
The title track is wonderful pastoral Psych Pop and Tell Me is very much in classic Singer Songwriter territory, Piano Pop without too much piano. Rock River is a catch all "altogether now" 70s Chart Pop and Pebbles In A Stream is top notch Psych Folk.
The Bandits Of Blue Sky could be from one of those great UK Pop Rocks that sold masses when they stopped being singles and filler and became proper thought out LPs. Some of the orchestral arrangements are jaw dropping great particularly on the 60s Pastoral Psych of Always Find Me and the opener, Love Letters To Plants.
There is a real beauty to Smalltown Stardust, never more so than on the haunting closer, The Wheel when the lyrics expose an auto biographical feel. This album is the sound of s musician back in love with his music, maybe even the real Kyle Thomas. An absolutely wonderful listen!
You can listen to and buy the album here. You really should!
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