Eoin Hennessy | Music Editor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hFcICEOPn4
While they may sound good on paper, supergroups are more often a catastrophic failure than a blistering success. Many of us thought the combination of Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones as Them Crooked Vultures would be groundbreaking. Instead we were left with a one hour bore of over produced tripe. Others thought they would enjoy the work of SuperHeavy, an amalgamation of Damian Marley, Joss Stone, Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart. Again these people were left listening to some of the worst music ever conceived, perhaps even worse than Mick Jaggers’ collaboration with David Bowie.
Unlike a group consisting of big-headed rock stars, Kimono Kult will be able to express their ideas without the intense pretentiousness
Forgive us then, when we say we were not hugely excited about the world’s most recent supergroup, Kimono Kult. While its lineup may not be as star studded as some other supergroups, Kimono Kult cannot be described as anything else. It justifies the name through its inclusion of John Frusciante of Red Hot Chilli Peppers fame and Omar Rodríguez-López of Mars Volta and At The Drive In. The fact that Kimono Kult only has two “supers” gives it a moderate advantage over other supergroups. Unlike a group consisting of big-headed rock stars, Kimono Kult will be able to express their ideas without the intense pretentiousness.
The efforts of this not-so-super supergroup have resulted in a four track EP, only about fifteen minutes long. From the opening notes of the first track “Todo Menos El Dolor” we can hear that Hiding in the Light is not your run of the mill supergroup release. Instead we get a sprawling, genre-defying array of sounds mostly consisting of effects pedals and extended guitar riffs. Most surprising, is that the first track actually sounds quite pleasant. Lead singer Teri Gender Bender’s vocals work brilliantly with the intricate guitar playing of Frusciante and Rodríguez-López while the songs don’t sound over produced at all.
Hiding in the Light has ended up sounding like a long lost 10” left in a charity shop by a local band
Ultimately, however, the group’s downfall is that the tracks are almost too raw. While this problem has never been encountered by a supergroup before, Hiding in the Light has ended up sounding like a long lost 10” left in a charity shop by a local band. Even if this is the sound Kimono Kult were going for, the fact that we know that the group contains two of the best contemporary guitarists leaves us wondering why they didn’t really get any room to shine. In an attempt to not sound like an ostentatious supergroup, Kimono Kult have limited themselves by not showcasing their talents. If only this could have been said for Them Crooked Vultures …
