Kingsfoil
York, PA
www.kingsfoil.com
Kingsfoil, a duo from York, PA, has some of the catchiest, most addictive and most eclectic music that I’ve ever heard. They describe their sound as “indie acoustic rock, with a focus on melody and lyrics.” Their sound is amazing, and I find myself looking for reasons to put them on and sing along. No two songs sound alike. Their vocals can remind me of anyone from Duncan Shiek to Brian Vander Ark to Eddie Vedder. The duo consists of Jordan Davis and Tristan Martin, both providing vocals, guitar, and piano during various pieces.
Jordan and Tristan decided on forming a duo, after playing together previously in several bands. “They found that … they complemented each others’ writing styles, and that [they] had the same goal; writing honest, solid songs that, when played acoustically, would hold their own.” Kingsfoil released their first album, “Thoughts on the Floor,” in 2003, followed by their second album, “Blueprints,” in 2004. They recently went to Nashville to record their first acoustic EP, “The Almond Tree EP.”
Both Tristan and Jordan have been involved with music for many years. Jordan originally started his musical pursuit with the drums, and later expanded to the guitar and keyboards, and he now writes many of Kingsfoil’s lyrics. Tristan has been performing for years, in everything from theater bands to rock and jazz bands, and has talent in guitar, bass and piano. Both grew up surrounded by music, and its influence has led them to be able to create songs that anyone can relate to.
The guys have written over 50 songs together so far. When asked how they come up with their material, Jordan said, “ Most of the time, the music comes first for both of us. Or I will have a lyric just come into my head, and I will put it to music later. I like to write the vocal melody as I am writing the music. I think, by doing that, it makes the song stronger and gives it a more natural feel. Tristan and I write lyrics together a lot, but we also write songs on our own. This helps each song stand apart and sound different.”
Kingsfoil has accomplished a lot in their time together. Aside from their two albums already released, they also performed a 14-show, three-week tour across the country. I haven’t had the opportunity, as of yet, to witness one of the guys’ live shows. However, Jordan had some things to say about their live performances: “Kingsfoil is unique live, because we arrange our songs in such a way that they will hold their own acoustically. We work very hard on our live show, and feel like we have [a] very full sound, even though we don’t have a full band. We also … make sure that lyrics can be heard, and I think that’s very important in a live show. … We feel that our harmonies and lyrics stand apart from a lot of other music. We also have a passion for our music that will only push us to work harder. … Our duo has staying power because of our dedication to honest songwriting and our intimate, yet energetic live shows.”
To their credit, Kingsfoil was chosen as one of the 3 out of 75 bands to perform at First Night York© in 2003, won the 2005 York Country Day Battle of the Bands, and was chosen to perform at the 8th Annual Millennium Music Conference. While you can find some free downloads at www.kingsfoil.com, www.myspace.com/kingsfoil, and www.purevolume.com/kingsfoil, I very highly recommend that you purchase their newest album, “Blueprints.” It’s an outstanding compilation, which gives you a great taste of the pair’s diverse abilities. You can pick up a copy at www.cdbaby.com/kingsfoil, or Tower Records’ website, www.tower.com. You can also purchase digital downloads at www.itunes.com, www.aol.com, and www.virgindigital.com.
Kingsfoil recently played a UNICEF Benefit Concert in Pittsburgh, with one of AudioXposure’s past non-locals, Brooke Annibale. They periodically play Sparky & Clark’s in York, and you can check out our even calendar for upcoming shows in Camp Hill, York, and Lancaster. If you love a great acoustic set as much as I do, be sure and try to check these guys out
