King James samples now up at Amazon!

There are a few songs redone from their debut, but there are several new songs as well. Check it out!

http://www.amazon.com/Maximus/dp/B00D10Y2BO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370455633&sr=8-1&keywords=king+james+-+maximus

I just saw that earlier and was going to ask if anyone has bought it yet. Didn't realize there were old tunes, but I see a few familiar titles now that you mention it (Hard Road to Go & Miracles).

Ok what a dope, I just saw that this isn't for sale until June 11th.

I will almost certainly get this album but I"m a little bummed looking at the track list and song times. There are 13 songs on this track.

5 songs are off of the first album (Hard Road to Go, Miracles, The Prisoner, Desperate & Miracles (Acoustic).

3 "songs" appear to just be short instrumental interludes (each less than 1 minute long) (The Void, A New Beginning & The Highlander).

1 song seems to be a full on instrumental guitar track (X Maximus).

This leaves only 4 full songs with vocals.

I might be inclined to just buy those 4 songs....I don't know.

For me it's interesting to buy "Maximus".
I never had previous CDs of King James.

Are you disappointed there are some older songs on the new King James CD?

I am. They could have told people that this was going to be mostly re-records. I don't mind bands doing this--just announce it so people know what is coming.

Yep, same here. I thought it would be a brand new album. 4 new vocal songs just doesn't do it for me. Shame really as I would have probably put it on my wants list if it was completely new stuff.

Fundy

This was high on my want list. Now, I am more excited about the reissue of Gideon's Army and the debut Bruised Machine discs I have ordered.

I still have the plan to order the new King James.
I never had the previous releases.
So this is a good way for me to have more King James songs on a CD.

I really can imagine you are disappointed.
When you expect an album with all brandnew songs, this is a disappointment.
When you have the older songs, you can download the new songs.

About pre/order the Gideon's Army album.
Is it safe to pre/order this CD on the RetroActive Records page on Facebook?
I've never ordered on this way.

I don't know. This is the first time I have ever ordered from them this way. I usually get it from Amazon or from eBay.

alldatndensum wrote:

... They could have told people that this was going to be mostly re-records. I don't mind bands doing this--just announce it so people know what is coming.

Completely agree with that.

I'm gonna pass on this. I was excited about Waiting For The King it was an excellent classic rock sounding tune. However I am not a fan of the first album so and after listening to the samples I think I will skip this for now.

There are some songs on "Maximus" I really like.
King James played some of the new songs on The Elements Of Rock.

Does anyone know if the songs from the first album are at least rerecorded for this new project?

As far as I know it is all re-recorded.

The songs from the first CD were re-recorded.  They are not completely true to the originals though.  To be honest, I don't like the changes they made.  Also, the new songs, in my opinion, don't fit with the tunes from the first album.  Overall, this project is rather a letdown.  I am glad that I bought the downloads.

Sometimes you are so looking forward to order a CD and then it's not what you hoped it would be and feel disappointed.

It was a better idea to announce that there are re-recorded songs and only some new songs.

I think I'm just going to download the new vocal tracks and possibly the rerecords (w/o the acoustic version of Miracles).  Thanks for the input on the rerecords people.

I have not heard King James before... and I listen to this album and was not really impressed at all.. gonna pass on this one.

I enjoyed the heck outta this reissue when it first came out but haven't played it in about a year. Some good tunes but I burned out on it  

I just downloaded the new King James and actually kind of like it- a lot!  The new material ("Black Stone Woman", "Mississippi Kid" & "Just As I Am") has a blues heavy rock feel to it and is really quite good.  Even some of the re-records are done in this style, note "Miracles" and "Desperate". 

The problem, however, is that there a divergence of styles here in that the other re-recorded songs - "Hard Road To Go", "The Prisoner" and "Waiting For The King" (originally recorded by vocalist Jimi Bennett's old group Sacred Fire) - takes an eighties melodic metal heading.  While I like the re-done songs, I wish there were more newer tracks in the blues rock style (it would make for the more cohesive release- my opinion only). 

Jimi Bennett really sounds good- I would not complain if he fronted the next album from The Rex Carroll Band.

BTW, this is my very first official album purchased as a download (via Amazon).  And to be quite frank, I do NOT like it.  I hate to come across like some cranky old school guy with a closed mind (and perhaps I actually am) but the only thing that came with the download were the music files.  No artwork.  No lyrics.  No liner notes, which means you are left guessing as to who actually performed on and produced the album.  Sigh.  That said, I probably saved 8 or 9 dollars by going the download route but you also get what you pay for.

So at least you now know what direction the review is more than likely to head...

I'm with you on the download front!  Give me CD's all the time!

Fundy

Fundy wrote:

I'm with you on the download front!  Give me CD's all the time!

Fundy

I used to be pro cd. Now I see them as drink coasters. Give me vinyl or downloads any day over cd's.

I am starting to get that way.  I am looking at the artwork less and less.  I rip the CD to MP3 and play it off my Zune.  There really isn't much need for physical product.

I still love the CDs.
I can read the lyrics.
You never get lyrics when you download an album.