Single Review : Of Monsters And Men - King And Lionheart
- Written by David Beech
Iceland's Of Monsters and Men are a band who by rights shouldn't need an introduction. Their début single 'Little Talks' is certified platinum in five countries while My Head Is An Animal the album it came from has achieved similar commercial success globally.
The fourth single to be taken from My Head Is An Animal is 'King and Lionheart' and is business as usual for the folk-rock sextet. This will be familiar territory for those who are already familiar with the band (and if you aren't you have probably been under a rock for the last 18 months). The song starts with a gentle and understated chord progression which is quickly joined by Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir's unmistakeable vocals. Like 'Little Talks' and 'Mountain Sound' before it, 'King and Lionheart' is a melodic and evocative folk-pop song that makes use of a hugely diverse range of instruments, allowing the song to steadily build from the get go in to a powerfully emotive crescendo of a climax.
Lyrically the song tells the story of a young couple facing the tribulations of a relationship under scrutiny by way of using a journey and travel as a metaphor for the trials they face. While the overall message of the song might well be best left to the listeners interpretations, the literary way in which Nanna evokes feelings of worry and doubt is fantastic. She paints pictures of what one can assume is her home-town brilliantly, fusing together regal imagery and poetic finesse in an amalgamation that is both quaint and grand.
Despite only being a band since 2010, Of Monsters and Men are part of an ever-growing movement of folk acts that are winning over audiences worldwide. Coupled with the likes of The Lumineers and Bon Iver, the band's popularity is surely only just beginning. Their idiosyncratic blend of imagery and grandiose choruses is sure to win over many more hearts before the band hang up their instruments and head back to Iceland for a round of Brennivín.