King Prawn

Got The Thirst (2003)

Adam White

I'm under the impression that London's King Prawn had quite a following in Europe
(apparently the band recently split) . While it's easy to see why, I can't say
that Got The Thirst is going to add me to that legion.

King Prawn is most commonly stuck with the ska-punk tag but it is really too
narrow a label for the band. The first two songs on this record "Bring Down
the House" and "The Dominant View" run the gamut of influences from Rage Against
The Machine to Sublime. Much of the band's vocals fall more on the side of aggressive
rap rather than true reggae toasting. It's not too much of a stretch to say
the group sounds like a more metallic Zebrahead worshiping at the alter of Bradley
Nowell.

What puts me off about King Prawn is that their hip-hop and metal tendencies
tend to conflict with their ska/reggae side. The hyper-kinetic instrumentation
and aggressive vocals often kill the rhythm and groove that's a part of ska.
One place that sound does work well is in the verses of "Smoke Some Shit," yet
that song's childish chorus and subject matter are cringe-worthy. While tracks
like "Bitter Taste" and "Gather Round" spin these influences together well,
others like the political "Raise The Banner" loose me with their lack of a strong
melody to tie things together. It's the same reason why the manic ska of the
Voodoo Glow Skulls can seem overbearing at times.

I can understand why this band receives so many accolades for expanding their
influences and growing beyond the rut that other late 90s ska-punk bands fell
into. However King Prawn's scattershot of musical directions makes it so that
they never seem truely comfortable in their own skin. Despite having so many
influences from music that's traditionally rhythm oriented, King Prawn seems
averse to relaxing their breakneck pace and developing the melodies these songs
need to tie them together. If you're a fan of Zebrahead, the Voodoo Glow Skulls,
or (to a lesser extent) more "out-there" ska-punk like late Blue Meanies
or Leftover Crack you'll appreciate this album's eccentricities. However if
you're looking for something with more of a reggae or 2-Tone bent, you won't
find it here.