King Krule:
SHHHHHHH
Through some stroke of luck, I was able to secure a single ticket to the Brooklyn date of King Krule’s SHHHHH micro-tour, hosted by the Sultan Room. One of six dates, the stakes were already high–heightened further by the chance to catch a glimpse of Krule’s forthcoming album, news of which only released a couple of weeks ago. Fans reacted as expected, storming the DICE queue with a ferocity that left many unable to even see the “buy ticket” button when the sale started. Fast forward to the following Tuesday’s commute home, noticing over forty people in line an hour before the doors open. Most of them looked like they’d been there for some time. One even brought a camping chair and a home-made cardboard sign–”Kang Krool tix pls” etched in Sharpie.
There’s something to be said about the intimacy of a show. Though small shows can fail to be intimate and large shows certainly have the capacity, many times the venue is the biggest contributing factor. The Sultan Room is an apt choice for such a show; upon entry, you notice the stage sits at nearly the same level as the pit, offering viewers a much more visceral, palpable experience. Gleaming pink and red lights glide along a simple yet elegant arrow-like backdrop that draws attention to centerstage, which I thought would create an interesting disparity considering Krule’s usual blue, withdrawn aesthetics.
As the venue filled, it occurred to me that most audience members came alone; apparently the misfortune of a lone member of a group getting a ticket had befallen us all, leaving the rest of our friends frustratingly empty-handed. Some made awkward small talk with neighbors, others waited anxiously as the crowd rose in anticipation at every break in the bar’s playlist.
When King Krule and his bandmates inevitably took the stage, I was ecstatic to learn that we’d see some of their old material as well. The band, composed of frontman Archy Marshall, George Bass on drums/modulator and Ignacio Salvadores on sax, opened with “Perfecto Miserable” and “Alone, Omen 3” from Krule’s most recent album Man Alive!, a two-track run and focal point of the LP that left fans with a modicum of consolation after the pandemic canceled the album’s tour. They also played “Don’t Let the Dragon (Draag On),” which was among my favorite moments of the show, an early pandemic anthem of mine that perfectly evokes those feelings of spring 2020. The addition of Salvadores’ weeping saxophone heaped on an extra dose of nostalgia; he and Krule go tit-for-tat, trading vocals and sax bits with precise cohesion–a beam of abundant synergy shared between the bandmates.
At another point, Archie pivoted the band toward The OOZ with “A Slide in (New Drugs)” and, subsequently, the titular track from the 2017 opus. He omitted the final verse of the latter, at which point I really felt the stripped-down nature he cultivated–never completely losing himself to the backing instrumentals in his usual raspy growl. In that track, they created an almost Lynchian soundscape, the venue’s red aura capturing the dreamy intimacy of Twin Peaks’ roadhouse as the song recalled longing feelings of emptiness characteristic of the TV series. Marshall’s vocals take precedence, all eyes on him as he wades through the viscous ballad– “could we meet here until the end of time?”
The majority of the set consisted of tracks from the upcoming Space Heavy, and select tracks from the Flexi Disc vinyl collection released in conjunction with the tour. Despite exploring similar themes as his earlier work, King Krule’s new material also feels pared down in comparison. Take “Our Vacuum” for instance. We see a heavier reliance on space in this record–slower drum patterns, longer lapses in guitar plucks and vocal riffs. “Pink Shell” provides a similar experience; through punchy drums, ethereal sax and experiments in modulation, the band created seamless transitions between those warm, embracing moments and cold cacophony.
“When Vanishing” stood as a highlight as well, a far cry from the rest of the set; the bossa nova track features only Salvadores’ delicate Spanish croon, and was the only track sans saxophone. It featured a playful, danceable jazz riff before descending the tempo alongside his vocals and washed-out synth notes. Before closing out the event with an “Out Getting Ribs” encore, the band played their final track of the album–“If Only It Was Warmth”– a heartbreaking show of a one-sided relationship from the perspective of the slighted lover. It’s evident that the work’s motif of space suits the nature of the tracks themselves, a slow, sludge-filled track broken only by Salvadores’ valiant saxophone solo, unleashing a cathartic wail that garnered plentiful cheer from the audience. An apt closing line: “Running out of space for your mistakes.”
Getting the opportunity to experience such an exceptional artist’s work before widespread release was a privilege. Especially given King Krule’s propensity toward the deeply personal, it felt as though he were allowing the viewer into something greater than just new music–almost a personal invitation of trust between friends. He addressed the crowd after every couple of songs, and joked bashfully throughout the band’s hour-long set. A fan requested he play “Underclass,” to which he responded with a coy “no.” The thrill of the entire audience’s complete unawareness regarding what was to come was truly special, and was rendered even more mystifying by the unseen CO2 cannon oozing before our eyes between each song. And as Marshall, alone, played the opening chords to “Out Getting Ribs,” the entire crowd erupted–only to be given the titular “SHHHHH!”
For those who missed out, fret not – he’ll be back stateside on tour soon after the release of his fourth studio album, Space Heavy, on June 9.
- Connor