The Dark City Kings - Love Is Punk (2024)

What happens when new wave meets folk punk? What happens when the rolling hills of North Carolina collide with the back alleys of New York City? The answer is Asheville’s The Dark City Kings. Their newest collection of songs, ‘Love Is Punk,’ reminds us that the definition of folk is as broad and diverse as the minds that craft the songs.

Colleen, Craig, Bayla, JP, Kyrie, and Merlin found each other as previous bands collapsed. Together, they found a collective sound that existed in between the boundaries of genre. After being contacted by producer Kevin Moloney (Sinead O’Connor, U2), the band recorded ‘Love Is Punk’ in Studio B at Citizen Vinyl. For the band, tracking in such a historic studio was a natural setting for their fresh take on Americana.

‘Love Is Punk’ treats fiddles like electric guitars. Mandolins replace keyboards as their scrappy sound owes a debt to new wave bands like The B-52s and The Cure. The Dark City Kings write pop anthems disguised as folk songs. The loping groove of ‘True Believer’ simultaneously captures the spirit of life in the country alongside humanity’s quest for something greater. As the repeated line “as we stroll along to heaven” grows into a rallying cry, it’s easy to see why this band has become something special. Their music is aspirational, combining everything good about American music into one carefully crafted record. “Party Clothes” recalls the jagged guitar lines of Ricky Wilson, while the group vocals help us remember that music is better shared with community. There is an undeniable pop feel to “Helicopter” that recalls the music of Pat Benetar or Rick Springfield. For a folk band, their influences are spread across the wide sea of American music.

It’s rare to find a band that can hold genre loosely while still sounding true to themselves. When asked about the meaning behind the album title, the band replied, “Love Is Punk. We believe it. These songs are love songs, pop songs, played by a garage band with traditional influences and an amazing violin. Love is the most punk thing of all.” We need this conviction now more than ever. The Dark City Kings have not just made an incredible piece of music with Love Is Punk, but they’ve cultivated a way of life. Listen to Love Is Punk if you need a reminder that love is noisy, restless, beautiful freedom.