King Tuff
Black Moon Spell
SUB POP
7/10
Right in the middle of Kyle Thomas’s third full-length album, he introduces himself to the listener via the opening of “Madness”: “King Tuff is my name / I’ve got madness in my brain.” Thomas’s identification is almost necessary when listening to Black Moon Spell, if only to stop listeners from believing that Marc Bolan has returned from the grave with a brand new LP. Even with his declaration, it’s hard to shake the immense influence that T. Rex has had on King Tuff’s (Thomas’s musical alter ego) latest release. From the driving title track (and album opener) to the silly short numbers like “I Love You Ugly,” the infectious effect of ’70s glam rock’s high vocals and playful guitar riffs are essentially weaved into the fabric of Black Moon Spell. If the Bowie-esque lyrics “More sex / More drugs / She can always get higher” (“Sick Mind”) are any indication, soon the platform boots and glitter will follow.
