There isn’t much to the music video for King Falcon’s single “Shake! Shake! Shake!” other than swinging bodies and the unfiltered energy of the duo’s play, but with the heat the song’s harmonies produce around every turn, what more does one really need? King Falcon aren’t playing around with overly experimental concepts in “Shake! Shake! Shake!,” nor are they employing the sort of aesthetics that would suggest a desire to step further left of the dial than the rest of their rock n’ roll peers this summer. They want us to sway while they play heavy rock music, which despite seeming criminal in 2020 is still very much a legal activity.
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The controlled movement of the percussion in the background is perhaps the lone retro element in this mix, but its summery feel is probably what makes “Shake! Shake! Shake!” feel as filled with vitality as it does. The rest of the compositional construction here is rooted in a contemporary alternative rock style that doesn’t borrow as much from the past as it does common themes in modern pop/rock – with a slightly edgier accent, that is. King Falcon might take a couple of cues from the mainstream, but their sound is a genuine indie treat.
In my opinion, nothing here shapes the mood of the music quite as much as the stomp of the beat does. Right out of the gate, there’s an excitingly evocative twist to the percussive component in “Shake! Shake! Shake!” that refuses to leave us alone for the whole of the song – it shadows every move of the strings, and uses the vocal as a cushion for each of its blows (rather than the other way around). Of course it’s a little aggressive; that would appear to be the entire point of King Falcon’s efforts here.
The production quality enjoyed by “Shake! Shake! Shake!” is understandably glossy, and considering the fact that this is the band’s debut single and music video, I wouldn’t hold the extra polish against them. At this stage of the game, it’s all about trying to get your sound out to the audience with as little a barrier between your style and their interests as possible, and without sacrificing any of their uncompromisingly rebellious charm, King Falcon manage to create something unique and radio-ready here. That’s a difficult balance for any artist to strike, let alone a couple of musicians in a freshly-formed partnership.
Those who have a craving for straight-rock n’ roll this summer needn’t look too far for some killer beats – for my money, King Falcon’s got ‘em all in “Shake! Shake! Shake!.” There haven’t been many decent rock debuts in 2020 so far, and unless the competition is able to rev up some serious contenders, I think it would be safe to call this one of the smarter indie releases of the year. King Falcon might not have the commercial branding, but their style is far more infectious than anything I’ve heard in the grater pop/rock genre lately.
Troy Johnston