Only a handful of bands have managed to achieve a storied run full of historical successes, remarkable milestones, and musical longevity. The band known as Little King is one such band, celebrating their 25th year of music-making with the release of their seventh full-length album entitled Amuse De Q. The band’s latest project is a collection of songs that stem from the creative genius of their frontman Ryan Rosoff.
Amuse De Q is quite possibly the band’s most personal album yet, mirroring Rosoff’s remarkable career. The album tells the story of his early struggles as a musician, hoping to find a home for his songs as he slowly builds the band that would allow him to work with some of the music industry’s most talented instrumentalists.
Little King’s seventh album is a collaborative effort among all its members. As is his custom, Rosoff wrote all the lyrics to the songs in the album, with members of the band contributing their bass, drum, and string parts. Joining Rosoff on Amuse De Q are talented instrumentalists Manny Tejeda on bass and back-up vocals, Eddy Garcia on drums, David Hamilton on cello, Christine Hernandez on violin, Asher Syrinx Rosoff (Ryan’s son) on keyboards, Becca Gonzales on back-up vocals, Bryan Bowles on hand drums, and Jessica Flores on lead vocals for the song “How Could You?”
Amuse De Q opens with a hard-hitting track that hits close to home for Rosoff entitled “Bombs Away.” The song is a commentary on what it was like to be watching the news during the onset of the global pandemic in March and April 2020. “Keyboard Soldier” is also one of our personal favorites on the album as it highlights the negativity found in social media, the BLM movement, social injustice, and some pointed insight on Donald Trump’s leadership.
On the track, “How Could You?” Ryan Rosoff chose Jessica Flores to sing the lead as the song tells the troubling ordeal of his female friends who have been suffering from domestic abuse that worsened during the global pandemic.
Amuse De Q features seven songs in total. Aside from the three mentioned tracks, the album features other equally powerful and personal songs “Set It Down,” “Melpomene,” “Omega Son,” and the titular “Amuse De Q.” Ryan Rosoff has expressed that this latest project just might be his favorite among all of the albums that he has produced.
Personally, Rosoff and Little King have clearly dedicated an inordinate amount of time and energy writing and tracking these complex songs. After several decades in the music industry, Amuse De Q just might be Little King’s masterpiece. The lead-up to the album’s release has been plagued with countless COVID-19 related challenges, but Rosoff and his bandmates persevered and delivered a fantastic and diverse record.
They managed to create a sonically mature album that brings together all of Little King’s members and showcases their exceptional talent. On the surface, Amuse De Q is a cohesive album that tells the story of survival, persistence, and positivity despite these trying times.
To know more about Little King, make sure to visit the band’s official website.
