Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground have, fittingly, a back-story as long and interesting as their name, but here’s the abridged version, because it’s not just about where you came from, it’s more about where you’re going. At the epicenter of Kay Kay is the duo of Kirk Huffman and Kyle O’Quin – with whom you may already be familiar from their previous band, Gatsby’s American Dream. While that band pressed on its final tour in late 2006, Huffman and O’Quin began writing the new songs that became Kay Kay’s first self-release, 2007’s live album/live DVD Live From The Pretty Parlor (which landed them a performance on Last Call with Carson Daly) and their 2008 eponymous first studio LP. The latter earned a place on Alternative Press magazine’s Top 10 Albums of 2008 list and the young band toured with friends Portugal. The Man, among others. Kay Kay also performed that year at the Bumbershoot and Sasquatch festivals, and headlined the Capitol Hill Block Party in their hometown of Seattle, WA.

An adventurous collection, Introducing… is a kaleidoscope of sounds, a musical stained glass window assembled with a calculated, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. The album is filled with tales of bohemian urban discontent, and reigns in the grand, sprawling scope of their self-titled debut to work within a 3-4 minute pop song structure. Passionate record collectors, Introducing… is rooted in Huffman and O’Quin’s nostalgia for musicians past – the influences of Paul McCartney, Shuggie Otis, The Kinks, Chuck Berry, and Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show, among others – and takes their unrelenting psych-pop melodies to soaring heights and subtle nuance. Opener “Sweet Strange Dreams” sets the tone with its Beach Boys-dreamy, playful yet languid atmosphere. “Diggin’” floats on an easy ‘70s groove and soaring carnival sounds, quickly followed by the plucky swing of “Oh Lord, I Hate You California.” Other highlights include the ragtime-infused, expansive and climactic “Paychecks and Pipe Dreams” and the lush, summery “World’s Entire.” Sweeping strings and horn accents bow in and out throughout Introducing…, while Huffman’s versatile vocals range from an airy hush, to an arch croon, to a rich, clear tenor polished to the weathered patina of a dedicated musician.

Session Tracklist

1. Diggin'

2. You Motherfuckers

3. Oh Lord, I Hate You California

4. World's Entire

5. Bowie And The Desert Pea

6. Birds (On A Day Like Today)

7. Hey Momma

Hometown

Seattle, WA



Visit the band’s website

For our friends who live in countries where YouTube is blocked, watch the session on Vimeo.