INTRODUCING: The K’s
Back in 2016, the burst of energy that was THE K’S was let loose onto the world. Since then, they’ve set the world alight on home turf and abroad, amassing an impressive amount of monthly listeners on Spotify (over 170,000) before they’ve even released their long awaited debut album; I Wonder If The World Knows?. It will finally be in our hands in March this year, in what is sure to bring joy to many with their infectious tunes that have had us hooked since 2016. Sitting down for a tete-a-tete with their guitarist; Ryan Breslin, we talk about their upcoming album and what lies ahead in what is sure to be a very bright future for the quartet.
With most bands, you’d expect them to follow the usual trope of releasing an EP before building up to the dizzying heights of their debut album. However, the last few years has seen several bands, including THE K’S follow an alternate route of releasing singles instead. Talking to Ryan about this method, he explains, “we didn’t want to drop an EP and waste some good songs that we would save for the album. The singles have always done well for us and we hung fire until we had the right people working with us instead of throwing it out for the sake of it.” It’s a gamble that has worked well for the band, it keeps them well within the public zeitgeist as they maintain their steady course to the release of the debut album.
Discussions of recording a debut album were already on the band’s mind long before 2024. Back in 2020, the idea of an album was thrown about, but that was soon hampered by the COVID-19 Pandemic. THE K’S however took everything in their stride and waited until the time was right, building up their ever expanding back catalogue. The excitement in Breslin’s demeanour is very apparent and very welcome. It’s almost as if everything fell into place at the right time as he tells us. “The time was right. We’d already toured for so long and everyone knew the songs already, it was just an easy choice to make.” Breslin almost makes the process sound easy.
“The songs just came together, the bones of a song were always there, but everyone gets to sprinkle their own bit of magic dust on each song to create something that is quintessentially THE K’S.” Moving on to the themes that underlie within the album, it’s a plain and simple answer. “Going out,” muses Ryan. “It’s a common theme in the lyrical side of things that is portrayed in a lot of the songs” It’s an honest answer but when you listen to the lead singles from the album, it’s incredibly apparent. They’re songs that make you yearn for those summer days and nights out with your mates that truly are the best of times.
It’s safe to say that when it comes to indie music that there are a lot of bands that fall into the trap of sounding the same. With THE K’S though, it was imperative that this didn’t happen when it came to their debut. Whilst the indie foundations are there within their tunes, there’s also a pulsating post-punk sound that carries their music to the lofty heights that they’re aiming for. From what Ryan tells us, there’s a broad spectrum of who THE K’S have been inspired by. “The mix of genres such as blues rock with the STONES and HENDRIX to more punky stuff with Paul Weller makes something a bit new, which is what we want to portray in our songs. It’s something that’s worked really well so far.” From the sounds of it, it’s an album that will appeal to a broad demographic of fans as Breslin states that the album is a “mixed bag for everyone” and isn’t just the usual suspects that is your everyday indie fan.
For a band like THE K’S, identity is important. When questioned about whether they belong to Liverpool or Manchester, Ryan triumphantly declares that “we class ourselves as Earlestown. We started in Manchester on the gig circuit and worked the crowd base up there and Liverpool is equally as strong. We’re an Earlestown band and that’s kind of it for us!” A refreshing take from the band as they could have easily been seduced by the glitz, glamour and musical heritage of both cities, but want to stay true to their roots, staying as their own thing rather than being “being something you’re not”.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2024, THE K’S have some enormous shows lined up. Even before they’ve released their debut, they have shows booked on the main stage at Reading & Leeds and also have a huge headline tour playing at venues such as Rock City in Nottingham, The Electric Ballroom in London and the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. It’s a testament to their meteoric rise over the years which has huge similarities to how ARCTIC MONKEYS rose to fame in the early 2000s. Through a huge and excited grin, Breslin tells us that “we are absolutely buzzing, they’re all gonna be mint. On stage is how we’ve crafted our skill for so long, we’ll get on stage and absolutely tear it apart.” From his reaction, it is clear that Ryan and The K’s aren’t taking any of this stuff for granted, describing the fact that a “Northern band selling out a venue in London is fucking insane isn’t it?”
The trajectory of THE K’S is getting steadier and steadier. It’s genuinely exciting to see a band excited about what lies ahead for them. As we’ve seen over the last few years, there’s been a boom in new and young bands in Manchester and other areas of the North West. Acts like THE K’S, BLOSSOMS, CORELLA, THE LATHUMS and THE LOTTERY WINNERS have paved the way for a new Manchester music scene full to the brim with talent that look ready to take the mantle that has been occupied for so long by Mancunian acts like OASIS and THE STONE ROSES. However, it is high time to be out with the old and in with the new, and THE K’S are going to be at the forefront of this scene, it’s going to be one hell of a journey!
I Wonder If The World Knows? is out now via self-release.
Like THE K’S on Facebook.