Whilst listening to the first stanza of King Charles’ single, Change for the Boatman, I had the revelation that Charles’ vocal bears resemblance to the brilliant and iconic Jeff Buckley. Specifically, the sparse chords and rich vocal of the opening stanza of Change for the Boatman reminds me of Lilac Wine of Buckley’s 1994 album, Grace. Grace is one of the best and most influential albums to my own music and this element immediately endeared King Charles’ recent track to me.
Change for the Boatman is an intimate, lyrically strong composition with a melancholy feel. There are some wonderfully vulnerable lyrical moments and the combination of electric and acoustic guitar, strings and fast paced percussion makes for a musical depth that is consistent with King Charles’ 2012 LoveBlood. Charles has definitely adapted his sound to offer us something that feels considerably more mature. Although LoveBlood covered a considerable range of emotion, Change for the Boatman expresses a feeling that was not accessed by Gamble for a Rose’s predecessor. The song is best described as alt rock, as opposed to the quirky indie rock that we enjoyed on LoveBlood.
Although there are some highly enjoyable moments in Change for the Boatman, and the song is lyrically impressive, it feels as though something is missing. We have come to love King Charles not only for his musical mastery, but also his ability to spin playful and sincere lyrics. Charles touches on this winning combination in Change for the Boatman, but does not seem to bring it together in the same way. Strangely, the introduction is my favourite part of the song. Change for the Boatman opens the can of emotion, but does not seem to delve inside. It is a good composition, but it is no LoveBlood. It will be interesting to see what the rest of Gamble for a Rose has to offer.
