Today, King Tuff has shared ‘Thru the Cracks’ the latest single from his anticipated new album, The Other. ‘Thru the Cracks’ is a powerful reflection on losing a friend to suicide and finding their spirit throughout the beautiful moments of life. The song features guest vocals by Jenny Lewis, backing vocals by Greta Morgan (Springtime Carnivore), and drums by Charles Moothart (Mikal Cronin, Ty Segall, Fuzz). A more soulful offering than the groove-based singles that have come before it, ‘Thru the Cracks’ is another shining example of the multi-faceted artistic direction that Kyle Thomas has taken as King Tuff.
Listen to ‘Thru the Cracks’ below.
Of the song, Thomas says: “About two years ago I lost a good friend to suicide. He loved the Beatles, Nirvana, Burroughs, bumming smokes, stealing his parents records and selling em to me… he was a complex character, a sweetheart with poor social skills, a musical genius with no outlet. He was pretty damn misunderstood in this world and struggled for a long, long time.
I had this song laying around for 7 years or so, but sadly it wasn’t until he was gone that it came into focus and I realized what it was all about. It’s one of my favorites I’ve ever written, and one of the truest. And it all comes back again to this thing, the Other. Maybe death is just a passageway to something else. Maybe in death we finally, once and for all, join the Other. I dunno, but I think Jeremiah is probably hanging out on the metaphysical stoop right now with none other than the Other itself.
Wherever you are bud, I’m singing to you”
Thomas self-produced The Other and brought in Shawn Everett (War On Drugs, Alabama Shakes) to assist with the mixing process.No less hooky than previous records, the new songs ditch the goofy rock-and-roll bacchanalia narratives of earlier records in favour of expansive arrangements, a diversity of instrumentation, and lyrics that straddle the fence between painful ruminations and reconnecting with that part of yourself that feels childlike and creative and not corroded by cynicism. The record features contributions from Ty Segall (drums), Jenny Lewis (vocals), Greta Morgan (vocals), and Mikal Cronin (saxophone).
Thomas views the entire experience of the record as a kind of psychic reset. “I let the songs lead me where they wanted to go, instead of trying to push them into a certain zone. King Tuff was always just supposed to be me. When I started doing this as a teenager, it was whatever I wanted it to be. King Tuff was never supposed to be just one thing. It was supposed to be everything.”
King Tuff The Other
1. The Other
2. Raindrop Blue
3. Thru The Cracks
4. Psycho Star
5. Infinite Mile
6. Birds of Paradise
7. Circuits in the Sand
8. Ultraviolet
9. Neverending Sunshine
10. No Man’s Land
