The KüL

The KüL
have been playing old school Rock'n Roll
better than anyone of recent years –
they're way ahead of the curve. Describing their
music is easy; just imagine Jimi Hendrix and
Lenny Kravitz joining forces – two big talents
in one band. The KüL is a mix of stoner
rock, funk and soul. Lead singer Johnny
Lenix actually sounds a lot like Kravitz
and possesses the same charisma and
flamboyance. He can scream, croon and
emote along those rare lines. Guitarist
Dane Manshack often plays in bellbottoms
and bare feet while ripping Hendrix licks
laced with wah and fuzz. Though super-talented,
he stays within the songs and never shows off,
though a few minutes of live solo are always
welcome. Damage is Done is a long awaited
album that perfectly captures these funkjamming
cats at their best. The songs
are structured and arranged ala 70s
FM Rock radio, meaning riff-based
rock with soul throughout. Highlights
include “Kronic Kastle,” “Cheeky Girl” and
“Damage is Done.” Seeing The KüL Live
is a great experience and this
CD captures the vibe nicely. (MB) - MARK BENEVENTI

The Kül
a Band that Reminds Us of Rock’s Revolutionary Past

... more than anything, this is a group of musicians who are fond of the emotional connection that both they and their fans share with certain eras in rock history.

Dallas-based rock-n-roll outfit The Kül (pronounced “cool”) aren’t necessarily newcomers to the Texas music scene - having spent a few years making the rounds on the festival circuit and spending more than a little time in the studio – but they’re still waiting for their one Big Breakout Moment. That extra time, however, might have ended up doing them some favors.

When it comes to their sound, the most recognizable (and most often-cited) inspirations are Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Kravitz; with lead guitarist Dane Manshack, a Longview resident, taking the majority of his cues from Kravitz and frontman Johnny Lenix’s aggressively soulful vocals. But it doesn’t take more than a few minutes for any listener who’s paying attention to recognize the little touches and tangents that invoke other artists. The Black Sabbath-callback riff on “Everyday,” the stripped-down, punk-rocky “Kronic Kastles” that owes as much to Iggy and the Stooges as anyone else (complete with Lenix’s own version of the iconic Iggy Pop primal scream) and several other little flourishes that serve as respectful nods to everything from Texas Blues to 70s Funk to 60s free-love psychedelic trip-rock. But while pastiche* is certainly the theme of the day with The Kül, their originality stems from the way that they’re able to touch upon a large, varied catalog of inspiration that brings them into one cohesive whole and keeps them from tumbling over into being a glorified cover band.

Keeping them from falling over that cliff are founding members Manshack and Lenix, who serve as the creative core for the group – sharing songwriting duties and dictating the creative direction for their sound. And while performance videos on YouTube are a poor substitute for actually seeing the band (or any band) live, even in that tiny playback window their chemistry together on stage is palpable. But for all of Manshack and Lenix’s enduring creative influence, it’s the support staff that seems to always be in flux. The band’s official bio lists five members: Manshack and Lenix, naturally; guitarist Andrew Supulski; bassist Ashley Jeans and drummer Trey Alfaro. This particular lineup is far from the original with several members having come and gone since the band’s inception. So, while having time to figure out your sound is always essential for every band, The Kül’s current lineup seems to stand to benefit the most from the extra time spent waiting to be discovered.

With the new lineup seeming to be locked in for the foreseeable future, the band is gearing up for another big push – lining up some festival gigs that span both coasts and planning some local East Texas shows, all while working to re-release their first album Soul 4 Gold with not only the original material but a few extras as well, titled "Damage is Done." This is a re-release, by the way, that Manshack says will hit all of the standard online outlets. But in the meantime, the band does have a couple of singles on iTunes, you can see plenty of videos on YouTube, and there’s been some new life pumped into their Facebook page, which is something that Manshack says we’ll be seeing a lot more of in the time to come.

So, at the end of the day, the worst thing you could probably say about The Kül’s genre-blending, heavily-influenced style is that it belongs in the record-collector-rock subgenre, but even that seems a bit condescending; more than anything, this is a group of musicians who are fond of the emotional connection that both they and their fans share with certain eras in rock history. And while their music may never set the world on fire, they definitely remind us of a time when the genre – which continues to be mired in a never-ending lack-of-identity crisis - had the tangible power to do exactly that. - JEREMY BUTLER