Greg Kihn Band
Rekihndled
Riot Records
“They don’t write ‘em like that anymore” – the iconic lyrics certainly struck a chord with music fans when Greg Kihn’s classic hit, “The Breakup Song,” cracked Casey Kasim’s Top 20 back in the steamy summer of ‘81. Four decades later, Kihn’s words seem to ring truer than ever. But, fortunately for his dedicated disciples, the 68-year-old singer / songwriter, author and radio host still has a few more of “‘em” up his sleeve – as is evidenced in his newly-released studio record, Rekihndled.
Produced and engineered by longtime friend and music partner, bassist Robert Berry, the punchy and poppy offering is Kihn’s first full-length set of new material in more than 20 years. Kihn, a Baltimore native / San Francisco transplant, wrote or co-wrote all 11-tracks, and it makes for a collection crawling with earworms.
“The Life I Got” is a straight-up, guitar-driven delight – a crisp and catchy opener, while the lead-off video single, “Big Pink Flamingos” is playful and contagious – a boogie woogie-type treat.
Other noteworthy highlights include the high-octane garage-bred gem “Cassandra,” the infectious “Jeopardy”-style treasure “Tell Me Something Good” and the gritty-sounding “Trained Monkey.”
In sum, Greg Kihn is a celebrated artist who has produced more than a dozen acclaimed studio records and has amassed an impressive string of hit singles. And simply put, Rekihndled is a welcomed and comfortable addition to his prolific catalog.
