The Saints – ‘King Of The Sun/King Of The Midnight Sun’

Brisbane punk legends mix horns and druggy laments on their latest

In September 1976, The Saints’ garage punk classic ‘(I’m) Stranded’ was NME’s Single Of The week. Time has dulled some of the Brisbane punk legends’ snarl but none of their soul, and ‘King Of The Sun’ – accompanied by a second disc of the same songs recorded in “midnight sessions” – is an autumn years triumph. There are major-minor changes, horns and a very slow song called ‘Duty’, but it only occasionally fades into singer-songwriter beige. ‘Turn’ is druggy and reproachful, while ‘Mini Mantra Part I’ has the smart and awkward quality of something you’d find on a John Cale album. While the main record was produced with Springsteen and Dylan in mind, the bonus recording comes closer to the fuzzy swagger of their heyday.

Edgar Smith

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