LKN – Postulate II

LKN – Postulate II / 2007 Greyday / 13 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/lkn / http://www.greydayproductions.com /

About a year and a third ago, I reviewed the predecessor to “Postulate II”, which as some people could guess, was called “Postulate I”. I ultimately loved the album, and likened LKN’s sound to a Patti Smith or other similar artists. This is LKNs new album, and the disc starts out with the same instrumentally heavy compositions. Even if LKN chose to make the album fully instrumental, the talent shown by the arrangements on the album is enough to lock listeners in for the entirety of the disc. The vocals put on a track like “On My Back In The June Night” are just that little extra bit to put things over the top and make this a full album. The multiple layers of music that are present in “Postulate II” easily eclipse the output of an Interpol or an At The Drive-In, while still having some semblance of pop influence to drive the tracks up the charts.

“Fractured Sun, Fractured Heart” is even more complex, and it has the instrumentation (mostly the drums) struggle against the vocals for dominance. It is ultimately the vocals that win out here, but the struggle ensures that each side is working at peak ability. “Systematic Minimalism” is nothing near what the title may suggest, with two distinct sounds coalescing to make something great. The guitar is making a very nineties type of alternative sound, while the drums and bass are contributing to a more sludgy like sound. Just listening to one or two tracks on “Postulate II” reminds me why I liked the first album so much.

This is because LKN creates full, intriguing songs that will take individuals months to fully decipher. I loved the first “Postulate” album, but I feel like this shows an evolution of LKN’s sound. Compositions are smoothed out, but the arrangements are as complex as before. I look forward to all subsequent releases by LKN, and hope that ey comes through my neck of the woods in the next few months. If so, it will be interesting to hear what a small club’s acoustics will do to the songs that are captured on this disc. If one is a fan of fulfilling, full compositions, LKN’s “Postulate II” is exactly what is needed. The high replay of the value just makes purchasing this disc all the more of a necessity.

Top Tracks: Fractured Sun Fractured Heart, On My Back In The June Sun

Rating: 8.4/10