I had my first audience with King of Spain sometime around the middle of last decade, back when the local atmospheric pop act was a monarchy reigned by Matt Slate. Familiar to many as a bartender at the Tampa Independent, Slate created music that sounds bigger than one might imagine possible from one musician. Not one to stay stagnant, Slate relinquished some of his command — in both his personal and creative life — when he married wife Brandi and added bassist/songwriter Daniel Wainright to the official lineup in 2009.
Wainright, who played in the popular experimental pop act Spacious International (with prodigal scene vet Gerald Hammill and Permanent Makeup’s James Bess), teams up again with Slate for the duo’s latest album, the rather lengthily titled All I Did Was Tell Them The Truth And They Thought It Was Hell. The band is set to release the record on Aug. 28, with a pre-launch party at New World Aug. 25. In the meantime, the boys try out some of the new tunes at this show along with all the old standards.
Team Clermont — one of the most prominent PR firms in the biz — has taken KoS on as a client. To defray the costs, the band has started a Pledge Music campaign to help raise the money, at pledgemusic.com/projects/kingofspain. Fifty percent of the dollars raised after the goal is reached will be donated to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a cause that is very close to the band’s hearts.
Details:King of Spain with Brandon Cunningham and The Pals, Fri., July 20, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7. facebook.com/newgranada.
