I Mispronounced My Own Name

Kaki King “Communist Friends”

Kaki King had previously focused on instrumental compositions that showcased her chops as a guitarist, but more recently, she’s become more of an indie rock singer-songwriter. It’s a trade-off: She’s a lot more accessible now, but less distinct. She’s still a remarkable guitarist and the songs all come out of her skill with that instrument, but the songs rely on her voice, which is fine but not as flashy or commanding. Junior, her latest and most vocal-centric release to date, is confident yet slightly tentative — you get the sense that she’s exploring and experimenting, but she knows what she’s doing. “Communist Friends” is a very well-written piece, basically a slicked-up version of a strain of indie rock that is familiar but has no genre name as far as I know — Pacific Northwest guitar-centric indie, I guess. It’s a fragile, paranoid song, understated in style compared to much of her previous work, but bold in a way she’s never been. She sings out, she sounds betrayed and confused. The climax is strong, but it pretty much ends on a sigh.

Buy it from Amazon.