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Let's All Do the Kwang-o Tango
What initially attracted us to Minneapolis 4-piece Kwang were the trash n' roll-delights of 'Disassociation' and 'She's Sophisticated' - the latter's chorus of 'She's so phisticated / I'm so fucking dumb' being a particular work of genius.
Further investigation reveals there is more than meets the kornea. There are plenty of KISS influences, notably on the anthemic-but-stumbling 'It Comes, It Goes.' and 'This Time', which marries primitive Ace Frehley vocals with Cheap Trick commerciality. But it's on twisted, jarring ballads such as 'Wrecking Ball' and 'Sad Letters' where the band comes into their own.
Despite it's brief length (30 minutes), For What It's Worth is packed with unexpected delights. The only disappointment is that 'Rock and Roll! Baseball! Big Tornadoes!' doesn't quite live up to the promise of it's title.
Rating: 7/10
Classic Rock Magazine
The harsh guitars of glam rock on For What It's Worth remind me of the days when radios blared Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses like they were going out of style (which they were). Fortunately for fans still holding on to their favorite acid-washed jeans, Kwang are keeping razor-sharp rock 'n' roll alive.
For What It's Worth is Kwang's latest release, and their second full-length. The local group's influences are obvious—KISS, Cheap Trick, Mötley Crüe, and Van Halen, all of which seem to have been melded together and cast into a local mold on this disc. Their Minnesota pride hits home with the track "Rock and Roll! Baseball! Big Tornados!," a little shout-out to all things great in the neighborhood. The whiny-man voice and motivated beat make it a perfect mix-tape track, best for blasting out the windows of a white van.
In their press materials, Kwang promise "real" rock, which, in their case, seems to mean '70s rock. The tracks here flex between punk-inspired bangers to slow, emotional downers like "Sad Letters."
Their album is lined with relentless guitar mauling and vocals old Mr. Johnston downstairs (or next door, or two-houses-down, for that matter), won't appreciate. This band will rock you till your ears bleed—it's up to you to determine whether you find that enjoyable.
Amber Schadewald - City PagesThanks to its fat glam-rock licks and carefree sense of humor, Kwang's For What It's Worth has become one of my most-played local discs of the year. It's the perfect soundtrack for a long drive with the windows down and the volume up.
Ross Raihala - St. Paul Pioneer Press
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