Acid House Kings :: "Would You Say Stop?"

The Acid House Kings told us their forthcoming record, Music Sounds Better With You, is an attempt to define pop music. In this fashion, their fan-selected second single, "Would You Say Stop?", is a perfect slice of summer cheer for anyone who ever thought Belle and Sebastian weren't poppy enough. It features those plaintive, jangly guitars, pulsing strings, castanets and a swinging melody that wouldn't translate poorly to a being sung by an elementary school chorus. Of course, the band is always trafficking in perfect pop to sweeten the dark corners of their lyrics. Moments like, "if anyone ever breaks my heart, I still hope it is you", frame an ongoing struggle to maintain a relationship, one that despite the swelling strings is on the verge of collapse.

Listen :: Acid House Kings - "Would You Stay Stop?"
Listen :: Acid House Kings - "Are We Lovers Or Are We Friends?"

Interview :: Acid House Kings [11.21.10]

Acid House Kings are like a huge smile from Sweden. With their next LP on deck for release, a new single on the loose, we shot some emails back and forth with Johan. He reflected on small themes like fears of dying, how to we learn to love, and why people don't (but should) buy their records. Follow us and them.

Acid House Kings :: "Are We Lovers Or Are We Friends?"

Even in a world of Belle and Sebastians, Camera Obscuras and Lucksmiths (RIP), Acid House Kings make the sunniest of sunshine pop. With four albums under their belt and standing threat from 2005 that they would release a record "defining the meaning of pop music" in 2010, they are back with digitial single, "Are We Lovers Or Are We Friends?," forcasting a coming LP. It is a dizzy, swirling mix of sacherrine strings and lighter-than-air guitars, meditating on the central and age-old theme of unrequited love. But human relations are never so simple. Call-and-response vocals tinge the edges of the chorus, as the final question is ultimately posed, not about love or friendship but about possession, "Baby, will you be mine?"

Listen :: Acid House Kings - "Are We Lover Or Are We Friends?"
Listen :: Acid House Kings - "This Heart Is A Stone"
Listen :: Acid House Kings - "Do What You Want To Do"
Listen :: Acid House Kings - "Sunday Morning"

Acid House Kings :: "This Heart Is A Stone"

The streets are warm to the touch and the mosquitoes are taxiing for landing on your forearm like Goose's F-14 in Top Gun. It's certainly the middle of summer and The Acid House Kings are always a dose of sonic sunshine. "This Heart Is A Stone" is so sweet sounding you might miss the lyrics which are so sad it's almost unbelievable. They reflect hope in the face of almost unspeakable failure. Some of the lyrics would be crushing if they weren't so funny. Acid House Kings never claimed to be serious. After all, it's jangly pop music not Third World Debt. It's not complicated. Somethings you can just enjoy.

Listen :: Acid House Kings - This Heart Is A Stone