Album Review: King Tuff - King Tuff

King Tuff is the story of Kyle Thomas, a man who has been in and around the fringes of some of the world's weirdest rock music for years. First there was his band Feathers, a freak-folk outfit full of freaky folky people, he played guitar for Oakland power-punks Hunx and His Punx and also of note is his stint as guitarist / vocalist in stoner metal band Witch (playing alongside Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis). Kyle Thomas, it seems, is nothing if not diverse. King Tuff is the name of his solo recordings and King Tuff (the album) is his second, a follow-up to 2008's Was Dead. The first record was a sleeper hit with the garage rock crowd, all guitar strut and sour melody, but with King Tuff (again, the album) Thomas has set his sights a little bit higher. Even the album cover smacks of DIY – a bat with a horned skull for a head clutching a guitar in one claw and a magic wand in the other.

Click here to continue reading this review of King Tuff's new album by Ricardo Kerr.