Song to get you through the week: ‘King of the Fools’ by The Curtis Mayflower [Telegram.com]

The Curtis Mayflower’s “Everything Beautiful Is Under Attack” is one of 2014’s best albums. You would think that would be enough, but no. Now they have out a a new single and a video for their new song, “King of the Fools.” And it’s positively dripping with ’70s soul cool.

The band — which comprises guitarist Pete Aleksi, percussionist Duncan Arsenault, bassist Jeremy Curtis, vocalist Craig Rawding and keyboardist Brooks Milgate — sounds positively at ease on this song (which we can’t embed because of language concerns). It all seems to flow together into a steady jam. A note from Arsenault said that the song was inspired by songwriters Donny Hathaway and Bill Withers, and that’s very apparent. The song finds a way to dredge up what was beautiful and compelling about that early ’70s sound.

“I know you think you’re slick, pretty baby,” croons Rawding, “but somebody should have warned you/ you can’t fool a joker, because a joker/ is the king of the fools.” The song grooves forward at a steady simmer: It happens so gradually that listeners don’t even notice that the song has a steam that scalds.

The video makes a fun counterpoint to the song’s heat, reflecting the lyrics with odd instructional video footage from the ’50s.

It’s another small musical victory for The Curtis Mayflower — which will be performing Aug. 28 at The Dive Bar, 34 Green St., Worcester, in honor of Arsenault’s 40th birthday — and one that illustrates that the excellence of its first album was in no way a fluke. Rather, it seems that it’s only just now really finding its groove. And that’s saying something. (Victor D. Infante)

(via telegram.com )