The keen reader will remember a legendary feature we did for British newcomers KLEN a few months ago. With ‘Down the Pen’, the trio managed to deliver bubbly, fresh and edgy material, unlike anything else we had heard before. Describing the record, we declared: “What does make KLEN so special? Well, for starters, they feature three guitarists and no bass. Talk about egos in the band eh? Then, their drummer plays standing up, on a minimal kit.”
We stand by what we said: they truly are a worthy discovery. Finally, after having impatiently and painfully waited, we get served KLEN’s second single, and it’s a glorious confirmation. ‘The Pipers’ contains their signature quirky drum beats, joined by jangling guitars and fierce vocals. Punk meets psych, all treated with surf-pop nonchalance. The listening experience is rough, yet composed. It’s organized chaos. It’s like taking a bath in teenage exuberance: you are in for the ride.
Lyrically, the song explores the popular tale of “The Merry Maidens and the Pipers of Boleigh”, a story narrating the tale of musicians being turned into stone by a curse. Well, you won’t be turned to stone anytime soon for listening to KLEN (or at least we hope so), so we urge you, and encourage you to dive into the Cornwall talents now, before they go mainstream.
Recommended! Discover ‘The Pipers’ on Spotify, or catch the music video on Youtube:
