Everybody Loves You Reviews

• Imaginative and memorable, if a little amorphous.

  
  By A1XX5797TIZT5Q on 2003-06-05
  There were two records in the past four years that I decided I had to have after 10 seconds of listening: Nelly Furtado's Whoa, Nelly!, and this little indie disc.

  If you're searching for fresh sounds in music, this disc will delight you as wunderkind Kaki King conjures up a whirlwind of textures from just an acoustic guitar. She plays with a terrific sense of groove and unusual harmonic voicings, and frequently turns her guitar into a percussion instrument, sounding like more than one guitar player.

  I have one gripe about this record. The "songs" are too loose. Not surprisingly, given King's wide palette of sounds, her songs sound like jammy home demos -- very interesting to listen to, but also somewhat shapeless. In the album notes King herself describes the recording process as very loose and casual ("recorded in various friends' studios") and this is reflected in the lack of structure in the music.

  While King's instrumental vocabulary is astonishing, her expression is often vague precisely because she employs so many different voices on each song. She is good at creating grooves, but the sounds are so diverse that they lose focus, and it's hard-pressed to find some sort of emotional or expressive meaning in each individual track. So I find it hard to actively listen to this whole album through and through; there comes a point where all the myriad of sounds meld together into an innovative and intriguing, yet somewhat dissatisfying whole.

  Like so many guitar virtuosos before her -- Jimi Hendrix, Yngwie Malmsteen -- Kaki King would work better when she applies her astonishing range of techniques to more specific applications and expressions. Until then, she is still a highly refreshing listen, showing promise aplenty, and her instrumental chops are worthy of the highest respect.
  
  

• IGNORE WHAT THE REVIEW BELOW THIS ONE SAYS...

  
  By A3T141609M7DVF on 2003-06-08
  It's really simple. As an accomplished acoustic guitar player myself, I can speak from relative experience that this album is nothing short of the most astonishing SOLO INSTRUMENTAL ACOUSTIC GUITAR recordings of the last 20 years. Kaki's techniques, although not necessarily groundbreaking, are very virtuosic and disciplined, to say the least. Give her a break...she's 23, and she self-produced her first album. I give her props on that basis alone.

  To the point: if you enjoy Michael Hedges, Alex DeGrassi, Preston Reed, Billy McLaughlin, Pierre Bensusan, and any other acoustic guitar virtuoso that fits this bill, BUY THIS ALBUM. I own more guitar-based albums than any other type in my 1000+ album music collection, and very few of these guitar albums BLEW ME AWAY within the first 20 seconds of listening (Michael Hedges did that to me). I knew instantly that this was a genius artist, and was so thrilled that finally a woman (a very young woman) has entered this male-dominated genre with such presence, confidence and grace.

  Kudos to Kaki!

  Now buy this album.
  
  

• I Don't See What The Big Attraction Is

  
  By A2GWY78Y3YZ1I6 on 2004-06-07
  Kaki King isn't that great. People have been praising her and praising her. She just isn't anything to write home about. She isn't even in the same leagues as Adrian Legg, Michael Hedges, or Leo Keottke and frankly never will, because here songwriting is lousy. Hey, I know she's young, but that's just an excuse. If she wants to continue to make music, then she music realize the importance of melody, harmony, and rhythm, because without it she's got nothing. She's just another Preston Reed or some other wannabe who can't play the guitar. She needs to take some pointers from other acoustic guitarists like Adrian Legg, who not has an unbelievable technique, but also is a fantastic songwriter. In other words, he is something that she is not.
  
  

• music that spoils the whole day

  
  By A1MD9FM0GQGUL3 on 2005-04-24
  I found this CD to be worthless. Kaki King's guitar playing is amateurish. It's sloppy. It displays all the skill of my 3 year old's finger paintings.
  
  The songs just wander aimlessly, go nowhere, and say nothing along the way. As a listener, they leave me exasperated. Usually musicians have to try really hard to create music that makes me angry - but Kaki King has done a great job of making a CD that irritates me to no end.
  
  And then I read reviews that compare her to everyone from Stravinski to Segovia, from Hendrix to Hedges to Satriani, and I wonder if these people have lost their minds! Segovia? This CD is the work of a third-rate remedial amateur.
  
  If you're looking for proof of the decline of civilization, this is it.
  
  

• It's OK, but give me a break

  
  By on 2003-11-10
  Obviously no one in these reviews has ever heard of Preston Reed. Kaki sure has as most of her music is a straight "lift". I do like her song Carmine Street as that sounds original. Please listen to the true master of tapping and the "over the top" technique , Prston Reed, before you crown her queen.
  
  
• Apalling
  By A19MK8KNAJ4L9X on 2005-06-20
  This is the worst solo acoustic guitar CD I have ever heard. Her promoters say she's a genius and some people need repeated listenings to "get" her. I have listened to this record at least a dozen times. She can't write a melody. Her playing has no groove. The pieces have no dynamics - no tension, no breath, no lyricism, and worst of all, no emotion. Her guitar sounds like a cheap, brittle, dime store guitar.
  
  You could program a robot to write and play guitar music better than this.
  
  I didn't even bother trying to resell this CD. I threw it in the trash.
  
  
• Like Metheny? Bensusan? Hedges? Kottke? Don't be absurd!!!!
  By A2T6X5NUVCGR7G on 2005-10-06
  I'm not trusting these reviews anymore! It was hard to stomach this CD even once, but after giving it a few more tries, there is no doubt in my mind that this album is devoid of any musicality. I defy any of these reviewers comparing her to Pat Metheny and Pierre Bensusan to hum or sing back a single melody from Kaki's CD! "Good" guitar playing is making "good" music, otherwise, what's the point? And no, Mark in the Middle, I'm not a jilted boyfriend or annoyed by a review I never read, this album just gives acoustic guitar soloists a bad name! The latest solo albums by Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, Pat Metheny are absolutely amazing! Kaki's music, quite frankly isn't really music at all --- it's just noodling around on the fretboard mindlessly.
  
  
• Poor misguided youth
  By A1O735DBNKRVHA on 2005-09-12
  Ooh look at me I favor technical roboticism over ecclecticism, soul, groove, tone and originality. If I balance a basketball on my head that aint quite the same as playing basketball got it get it GOOD!
  
  
• a lump of coal in my Christmas sock
  By A393SGRL2JT03I on 2005-12-27
  Reecived this as a gift on Christmas. Never heard of Kaki King before.
  
  Can't make any sense at all out of this sound (can't even bring myself to call it "music"). It's just a lot of aimless, unfocused, and shapeless sound. Sometimes she gets a rhythm going, but then she loses it, and the entire piece falls apart. This happens in several tracks.
  
  There is not a single melody anywhere on this CD. How can anyone record an entire CD with a complete absence of melody? What is the point of that?
  
  It's like writing a novel with a lot of loose words and phrases, but nary a complete sentence. Just lots of words, but no story, no characters, no plot. It's pointless.
  
  This CD is pointless.
  
  There are so many truly fantastic acoustic guitarists out there. This poor girl is no match for any of them. I much prefer Muriel Anderson to Kaki King.
  
  This is a very weak effort. This music should never have been released. What a shame.
  
  
• Well done, great performance
  By A3U6LBDOYTDISL on 2003-04-22
  Listening to the tracks of Everbody Loves You it's hard to believe the sounds King can get out of a single guitar. Virtually all of the tracks are instrumental (with the exception of a bonus track of King playing around). The melody and bass lines are well woven with the percussion King provides and gives you something that will stick in your head for a long time. If a great storyteller could only communicate by playing and smacking a guitar, this is what it would sound like.

  If half stars were possible I'd give this album a 4.5 stars rating because it runs on the short side and some of the tracks could have been longer. King's performance really must be seen to be believed, and, fortunately, the CD contains a quicktime movie that you can play on your computer to get an idea of her unique picking style (and her somewhat odd sense of humor). If you like acoustic guitar you cannot go wrong by adding this unique album to your collection. I haven't heard anything so well balanced between folk and rock since Steve Howe's solo album Natural Timbre.
  
  

• Yet another rave
  By AMS35LIN1N2IQ on 2003-10-04
  Not unlike many other converts to her music, I first heard of Kaki King when she was opening act for one of a diverse number performers with whom she has been touring. In my case, she opened up for Victor Wooten. The audience was ready for FUNK! And here comes this diminutive player with hippie clothes. My first reaction was probably echoed by many: "Not another folksy singer-songwriter." This impression was shattered after a few seconds of this virtuoso's playing; many a jaw dropped when witnessing this master at work. The only better acoustic guitar performance I have had the pleasure to witness was when DiMeola, De Lucia, and McLaughlin toured together in the early 90's. As wonderful as this CD is, you will still be amazed when you see her perform live.

  Get this CD!
  
  

• A Fun Listen...
  By A2NLYZ23SB0D7R on 2004-12-07
  If your looking for something refreshing to put into your CD player, this is it. Through her use of her guitar as a percussion instrument, Kaki makes her music extremely enjoyable to not just the cultured musician, but to the masses of people just looking for a good album.
  
  Now this album is not perfect, hence to the 4 star rating. The songs don't really go anywhere. Kaki lays down a groove that gets your feet tapping, but that's that, the songs are grooves. There aren't any outstanding melodies or licks that just grab you and make you rewind the track 100 times to listen to just that one part. You hear the intro, then the verse and the chorus and the bridge, and there aren't really variations that keep each part of each song a new experience.
  
  So like I said, this album is a fun listen. It just puts you in a good mood. If your looking for innovation or mind blowing guitar playing, this isn't the record you should pick up. Although Kaki is an excellent player and is very solid in her technique, by listening to the album you can tell that Kaki hasn't quite developed her own voice. But all in all I say pick it up, listen to it, you won't be disappointed. Its a great album to listen to from a fresh new guitarist who shows lots of potential.
  
  
  
• Her fingers sing on the strings
  By A1F5WL47Z6KLHG on 2003-05-30
  Her songs are so lyrical, it's easy to not notice that they are entirely instrumental. I was fortunate to be one of the first people to hear Kaki's CD, I'd been without a CD player for nearly a year, but I bought one just so I could listen to this disc - seriously. (I bought 10 more at her CD release & sent them to family & friends) The emotional content was so intense that tears streamed down my face while chills ran up my spine. Films would be graced/blessed by the sweetness and lush melancholy resident in her immaculate soundscapes, & she is as excellent onstage as she is on her CD, but you get additional improvisation and her charming, often hilarious banter. And not only does she ROCK, she's also a sweetheart & cool as hell. Buy this disc. Buy 10 - you'll never regret it.
  
  
• A must have.....
  By A1597PF9SOATUY on 2003-06-18
  I just saw Kaki King at the Bonnaroo festival in TN the weekend of the 13th. I had never actually heard any of her songs before the show and went on only having read about her music. I must say that I was completly blown away right from the start. ... her technique isn't exactly groundbreaking, but she does it so well, with so much dicipline ... that it is nothing short of amazing. The first person I thought about was Michael Hedges upon hearing her play. I can't wait to see the direction she goes in the future...especially since she is only 23!!
  
  
• I'd give her a little more time
  By A2FKHJ8YNWSHPX on 2004-01-11
  It seems like people are throwing around the names of Michael Hedges, Preston Reed, and even John Petrucci(?!) to descibe her playing. It's true that maybe later on she may be good enough to be nipping at Hedges' heels but not now. I find this praise to be a little far-fetched and premature. Right now she sounds more like a Will Ackerman lite, for the sake of dropping another name into the pile. Her technique is a lot more conventional and her attempts at percusion and harmonics seem to ape the "great masters", not equal them. This is not discouraging. Michael Manring, the bassist who played with Hedges said in an interview that he sounded like a Neil Young clone in his early years and was not very impressed. But who knew this "clone" would one day give us Aerial Boundaries! I'm willing to wait for her second effort to see if that breakthrough ever happens.
  
  
• Absolutely amazing!
  By A1SZKXEEW3UKG7 on 2003-06-24
  One night I went to go catch a concert downtown, I was going to skip the two opening bands, so I came late. Right when I walked in I was hit by some amazing acoustic guitar. I caught half of her set and was blown away. I've never seen anyone play like that before. I went and bought the album when it came out. To my surprise every song was outstanding. Everyone I've played the CD for also enjoyed it. It is also nice to see a female tear it up on Guitar. Buy and enjoy!
  
  
• Look!! A Review That *Doesn't* Compare Her To Someone Else!!
  By A3KAS1FII8P9N0 on 2004-04-29
  If you're a guitar player, or a guitar enthusiast, you need to check out Kaki King's debut album, Everybody Loves You. All instrumental (except some mildly annoying humming on the last piece), mostly acoustic, and completely brilliant. She fully realizes the percussive range of the guitar in a way that very few guitarists (that I've heard, at least) ever have, but without the one-trick pony gimmickry common to a lot of the "artists" that try to do so. And she embeds the percussive aspects of her music firmly within a melodic framework; this is not "experimental" music, but lyrical, inspired songcraft that incorporates nearly every aspect of guitar technique that I'm familiar with, but does so strictly in the service of the music.

  Kaki King's mastery of the guitar is nothing short of phenomenal, but it's not what makes the album shine. Rather, she plays as if her formidable chops are not something for her to show off with, but rather a tool box that allows her to build the shapes and structures with her sound that reveal the architecture of her unique musical vision.

  Which is probably the wrong metaphor, as it makes it all sound very clinical, cold and calculated, when the opposite is true. There are a few pieces on the disc ("Close Your Eyes and You'll Burst Into Flames" comes immediately to mind) that are flashy, fast, and a little brash, but for the most part these are intensely personal, almost meditational compositions. I've only listened to the disc a couple of times, so I'm reserving final judgement until I've really wrung it out a bit, but so far, I'm incredibly impressed, and more with her musicality and the relative maturity (for such a young artist) of her writing than with her admittedly formidable technical skills.
  
  

• Amazing Acoustic
  By AMOCHUVYZ1S4L on 2004-07-29
  This girl is absolutely amazing at guitar. She's been playing since age 5, and it shows. I love her innovative style, mixing bass, guitar, and percussion into one. I'm not going to compare her to any other guitarist, because, as far as I know, you can't. She has a unique style that says "Kaki King" all over it. My only complaint, is the cd is half as long as it could (and, in my opinion, SHOULD) be (38:21). I think the songs could be longer, and definately at least a couple more. My favorite tracks are 'Happy as a Dead Pig in the Sunshine', and 'Close Your Eyes and You'll Burst Into Flames'. This cd, and the artist herself, is very inspiring. I recommend this cd to any guitarist of any style.
  
  
• The guitar, not just a melodic instrument
  By A2111WZFH0LXKV on 2004-09-24
  I definately disagree with one of the reviews made. The guitar is a percussive instrument. The art of abstraction through guitar can be seen in kaki's playing. Although not perfect, it almost seems as if she will only continue to grow as a musician, her tracks vary considerable on attack and complexity. I'd expect more on her up and coming albums. Nobody has ever said experimentation will lead you to the perfect solution every time. In Kaki's playing, her experimentation on various levels is merely her way of pushing the envelope on music showing guitar in both light-hearted and rocky compositions. Don't lump this girl in any category as a wannabe, you might as well say everyone whose ever tapped on guitar is a van halen wannabe and evereyone who plays a power chord is a nirvana wannabe. Believe me, an appreciation for
  the auv on gaurve (spelling?) genre never hurt anyone. Its art, not politics. Listen to reed and hedges carefully, they vary considerably.
  
  
• .....wow
  By A343QMZ0YI42UJ on 2003-05-23
  I saw her play at the Fillmore in San Francisco with Charlie Hunter, and one would think that an intermission act following Mr. Hunter would leave the audience retreating to the bathrooms, but the entire crowd was mesmerized by her simply incredible talent. I wasn't the only person rushing to the stand to buy her cd. And the interactive cd-rom menu and movies that come with this cd are worth the cost alone. BUY THIS CD!
  
  
• everybody loves kaki!
  By on 2004-01-26
  file under albums i was hesitant to enjoy but end up loving, kaki king is a delightful, flowing, poetic instrumental record. while there's plenty of granola generic run of the mill female singers out there, kaki breaks that all down with the release of "everybody loves you." her stylings are reminiscent of complex delucci patterns and as simple, at times, as nick drake. whether it's background music or something to be focused on, this album is worthy of praise and sales.
  
  
• Quirky, Quick, and Intelligent
  By A1MQ4EAJG9W1J3 on 2004-07-14
  Kaki King seems to flow endlessly in Everybody Loves You. She captures quick picks with grooving taps that seem to lighten the mood. This is a wonderful cd for any guitarist or anyone who just wants to relax. If you like the purity of acoustic guitar then Kaki King's Everybody Loves You is a wonderful pick.
  
  
• Beautiful introduction to a phenom!
  By A1QS4XR25K6G on 2005-09-30
  I have gone backwards in a sense as I purchased 'Legs to make us longer' before this one. The reviewer 'Laurie Vazquez' obviously has no insight into progression of the instrument. Yes she can sound like Hedges, Bensusan, and Kottke among others however, this was her first album done all by her self. How many guitarist are out there today being compared in that ring of players?
  
  This album is definately a finding her nitch kind of album. It is quirky in some song phrasing and borrowing (from other players techniques) in others. However, you will not find much if any true repitition in any of the songs. Why does this album/artist stand out to me. She is refreashingly new with her song ideas and ideals! There is not one shred of your normal 'Hey look I'm making a guitar album' kind of song structure / formulaic work here. I am thrilled to go back and listen to it time and again to pick out passages that reflect her influences and hear how she makes them her own. if you think that she doesn't have a true gift for the instrument then I urge you to give it another listen.
  
  This is a must have if you are a fan of any of the artist she is compared to! Go and see her live if you get a chance. Impressive does not begin to explain the experience!
  
  Ms Vazquez (if that is your real name), perhaps you should try listening to the radio for a week and then come back to this CD. Then I think you will be able to appreciate real talent when it is presented to you.
  
  
• And she is just getting started. . .
  By AV4GSTTTCIT05 on 2005-10-30
  The first time I really listened to this CD was driving through the Grampian Mountains in Australia. The music was a perfect accompaniment for the road in a landscape so alien to us. Looking back, I realize I was only hearing the surface. Her music is so deep and multi-dimensional that it really does take a number of listens to fully appreciate. The gentle, lyrical beauty of "Night After Sidewalk" radiates contentment and gratitude coming right from the heart. "Happy as a Dead Pig. . . " has an ironic title that reflects its joy tempered by emotional complexity.
  
  The piece that I find most amazing is "Fortuna." For about a minute, she circles around, laying a foundation for what is ahead. She then shifts into a clearer directionality supported by a gentle rhythm. Around this rhythm swirl several themes: they are sometimes subtle and introspective, sometimes bass-like and grounded, but they are always moving forward into the depths of her soul. It is quite beautiful.
  
  I look forward to many decades of music from this amazing musician.
  
  
  A note on the negative reviews: I expect a wide range of opinions on an artist. However, I do find the quality of some of the negative reviews of Ms. King's CD's pretty strange. I divide most of those giving her very low ratings into two groups. The first are those who worship another acoustic guitar god and seem to find it blasphemous to listen to anyone aside from Preston Reed or Michael Hedges or Leo Kottke. This strikes me as a really limited perspective from which to approach a new artist.
  
  The other negative reviewers are a bit more disturbing. They tend to be pretty hateful and hyperbolic in their comments. I suspect that their reaction is personal. In this second group, the reviewers generally don't write any reviews for other products. To my eyes, they also seem to be stylistically similar. A pretty sad group.
  
  Update: Mystery of the negative reviews solved! I used Google to search on Kaki King. I wanted to see if I could find the reason some people have such a strong personal hatred of her. Apparently she said some arrogant things in an interview (though I never found the interview). In particular, she wasn't, in some blogger's minds, properly respectful of Michael Hedges. Because of this, these very petty people spend a lot of time and energy blasting Ms. King. Also, some of the comments are so sexist, it is clear that these little boys don't like the idea of a woman playing guitar. I don't really care if she is arrogant and not properly respectful of the guitar gods. Her music is great!
  
  If you enjoy Kaki King's music, please check out Preston Reed. He created the playing style she uses and is truely great.
  
  
  
• Grabs your attention at the first listen
  By AOTGWJUYDZBV3 on 2004-01-14
  I bought this cd after hearing just the first few tracks, my favorite being track 4 "Night After Sidewalk". That song alone is so beautiful that I had to get this cd. Also nice to see some of her live fotage in the bonus part of the cd, proving she is no joke, she can play! A must have for fans of unique instrumental music. She can only go up from here! Rock on Kaki
  
  
• aquired taste
  By A31XC0B5KO78D7 on 2004-03-03
  with many great artists, their work isn't appreciated upon first listen. so when i first saw kaki king play on conan o brien, i wasn't sure what to think. the unique finger style to her slightly jazz tinged folk instrumental certainly kept me fron changing the channel, but did i want to buy the album? would i go see her live? i decided i didn't like it that night, but the next day, i kept thinking about it. so i (don't tell the riaa!) downloaded a few of her songs and decided i did indeed love it. the next day i went out and bought everyone loves you and i'm proud to say it's still in the changer, brightening my morning each day.
  
  
• Visitations.
  By A2GIW12MU5L40Q on 2005-08-21
  Who do I hear here? Michael Hedges (obviously), Leo Kottke, Pat Metheny, and John Fahey. I don't really hear Kaki King, but I believe that her "voice" will come forward at a later time.
  
  At this time, this CD reminds me of some other very talented quitarists... and that's not a bad thing.
  
  The hatred evidence by some of the reviews is unwarranted, and sounds like the jealous complaints of people who have lost out in a musical competition.
  
  A nice listen holding promise for the future. Worth the price.
  
  
• Dangerously Flawless
  By on 2003-04-24
  You would never expect the sounds coming from this unsuspecting young woman. It would be perfect mellow background music if it weren't for the fact that her playing commands your rapt attention. Highly recommended for guitar or instrumental lovers, or any amatuer accoustic guitarist who wants to be shamed into never picking up the instrument again.
  
  
• Give me more!
  By A3MHE1A67MGLSI on 2003-10-24
  Give me more! She is like the California Guitar Trio but with talent!

  I saw her on Conan and I was mesmorized by her playing technique. Her guitar has a bunch of little holes at the top rather than one big one. She seems to pluck and slap the strings on the neck rather strum the middle.

  Her sound is acoustic guitar but the playing style brings out a whole new sound. It is very meditative but active!

  She really needs to come out with another album ASAP! Give me more!
  
  

• kaki king for president
  By A1DO5AIPED5PM9 on 2003-11-08
  i saw kaki king pretty recently and it was definitely some of the greatest musicianship ive seen in a long time if not ever. im not really sure if she played the songs on this cd but im sure its still worth checking out.not only is she a good mucisian she also seemed like a really nice person so if you get a chance to see her dont turn it down.
  
  

• Until We Felt Red
• Legs to Make Us Longer
• Dreaming of Revenge
• August Rush: Music From The Motion Picture
• Beyond Boundaries: Guitar Solos