Album Review: 1544 by Kingsborough

By Austin Jeffers

The latest release, 1544, of the California-based blues/roots rock band, Kingsborough is a strong comeback since their last release in 2015 with The Night, The Grind, and The Woes. The previous record demonstrated what their sound was: upbeat and energetic, solid riffs (that weren’t very dynamic), but at the same time sounding good enough to show what they could do, an album that wasn’t highly impressive but had a good style to it. Kingsborough took their last project and refined, improved, and perfected their craft to make 1544.

This album proves that Kingsborough is learning, changing their music-making formulas, and honing in on their technique. Their songs are even more energetic, more in your face, and attention-grabbing. They improved their riffs, making them more flexible, playing with the way they can be used: low guitars with focused singing, then switching it up and building up to a celebration of sound, as heard in “Low Down.” My favorite songs have to be the attention-grabbing opening track, “Percy,” the ever-so-fun “Low Down,” and the keyboard and bass-heavy “Right on Time.” What makes me more impressed is the fact that this album was entirely self-released. Their elements come from The Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, and Queens of the Stone Age, all very skilled at their genres. Kingsborough is getting better as a band, both from a sound point of view and producer’s standpoint. I would highly recommend discovering this talented band, who takes their genre fully by the reins and do a great job at it. I would give this album an 8/10, keep it up Kingsborough.