Paving the way is the second album from Reading based Rocket Kings the triple Ukulele fronted indie pop band helmed by the other Dave Stewart, this one is no Tourist or bellicose studio owner, this Dave Stewart plays Ukulele alongside Bex Crossland and Jess Tuthill while Yoshiko Nakayama is on bass with Dave Heath on drums. The album was produced by Dave Stewart alongside Josh McCrohan at Creative Control studios in Bracknell.
The album opens with the Heavenly style indie pop duet of Fading Star, the carefully picked ukulele figure and gentle backing help to accentuate the memories being celebrated as they reflect on how things have changed.
The most recent single She's Going To Mars takes a very familiar Oxfordshire indie tune, re-working it into a song for the heroics of going into space, hopefully avoiding any attacks from Radio controlled space aliens.
Damn Tired is for anyone at the end of there tether, looking for ways to boost their energy levels, as the relationship is in the rubble, the ukulele's drive the despairing thoughts, they try to find a way to patch things up.
The Yellow Bird Of Fortune has some cool trumpet on the chorus as this song for all those things you do to bring good luck and harmony into your life.
Far From Home is a good song for anyone who just wants to get the hell away from what's going on at home, if it's for a holiday, or a weekend, or for good isn't clear, but they need to get away, this has a good chant along chorus.
Dream Undream is a good dreamy song for wondering what may or may not come next, with all sorts of vocal interplay between the various members of the band.
Paving The Way is full of worries and uncertainty for the future, how are you going to move forwards, is it even possible as the vocals go sort of choral round.
We've Really Got A Good Thing Going but will it last, as they get all lovey dovey while strolling about taking pics of each other. This is a sweet love song for the friends they spend lots of time with.
Say it With A Smile is full of longing for a friend whose away too much with what it does to the relationship, as they want to curl up in the sofa together, but is the spark still there, as some begging goes on, hoping the doubts aren't real, as the trumpet should help to make you smile right back at them.
Tall Tale Teller isn't about politicians surprisingly, but about a street preacher who is selling his tall tales to whoever will listen, as the soaring indie tune makes you wonder how many of those tales you'll even think are believable.
The Time Of Our Lives tries not to get distracted from going out and living there best lives doing everything they want to, even if it's only about trying to make Uke Pop songs that remind listeners of The New Seekers, hoping the rest of the band don't abandon you to go and tour without you.
The album closes with The Ballad Of Walter And Caroline that tells a dark tale of being torn apart by events, while not knowing of anyway to stop everything being split asunder, this has a tear in its eye, as they try to repair things with tight harmonies and spry melodies, the two title characters divergent paths are explored, as they wonder will they ever cross paths again as we marvel at the final Uke solo of the album.
Find Out More at https://rocketkings.hearnow.com/ https://rocketkings.bandcamp.com/album/paving-the-way https://www.facebook.com/rocketkings
