Album Premiere: Kay Odyssey hits back with Knock Out
If you’re one of our [sic] seven regular Cosmic Clash readers then you know we’re partial to woman-powered bands. Austin haze-makers, Kay Odyssey satisfies that itch like few local acts do for us. We’ve asked the group to play parties, SXSW events and even a birthday party for our founder, Mike Cosmic because this formidable foursome of musical badassery plays some of the best fusion of shoe-gaze and psychedelic rock we’ve heard. Plainly put, these ladies rock with the type of unpretentious style that hits us in the feels consistently.
We’re thrilled to premiere the band’s exceptional third release, Knock Out (Pecan Crazy Records) today at The Cosmic Clash. The album is a follow-up to one of our top Austin albums of 2019, What’s A Woman To Do. That record not only landed on our year-end list, several other respected local outlets (Austin Chronicle, we’re looking at you) also included Kay Odyssey’s fantastic sophomore effort on their own best of list.
We’re also hosting a listening party on our Facebook Page and Twitch Channel from 3-9 p.m. today. Fans can tune in to hear the new album in it’s entirety along with videos made for the first two singles, “No Birds Sing” and “Seeing Double.” Come hang with us and discover why Kay Odyssey ranks among our favorite local acts.
The singles, which dropped prior to today’s album release, are textbook examples of bandleader and vocalist Kristina Boswell’s offbeat approach to songwriting. While the compositional structures are rooted in garage, shoe-gaze and psychedelic rock, Boswell takes a turn, inserting 80’s era influences like the aforementioned Cocteau Twins with a healthy dose of English goth queen Siouxsie Sioux. Add exceptional musicianship from guitarist/keyboard player, Liz Burrito and a rock-solid rhythm section of Vajaja Meza (drums) and Kelsey Wickliffe (bass) and the result is something special.
The album leads off with the track “Dancing in the Rain.” The song feels like the band picked up exactly where their previous record left-off. Hazy, jingly guitar riffs introduce the tune while Boswell’s fluttering vocals deliver her lines amid prototypical Kay Odyssey harmonies. Listening feels like easing into an album that sways from this core sound, to a heftier, garage rock vibe that delves into punk then recedes to more ethereal pieces such as track seven, “Run” which features some nifty keyboard work by Ms. Burrito and gorgeous vocal harmonies.
It is clear Kay Odyssey sought to stretch their musical boundaries on this third studio effort, expanding beyond their original musical scope in a healthy way. The record demonstrates both a necessary willingness to explore new creative paths while remaining true to the sound that makes the group stand out among the myriad of acts that once clogged Austin stages in the pre-COVID era.
Rather than include more song spoilers we’ll let you hop over to our live stream to join the fun. Before we let you go, a friendly reminder to always buy music directly from artists whenever possible. Music fans can purchase a high-quality digital version of Knock Out by visiting K.O.’s Bandcamp page or by heading to your preferred music platform (iTunes, Spotify, etc). A limited edition cassette (for all you audiophiles) can be purchased directly from Pecan Crazy Records.
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