No More Kings came to me in a very round about way.  I was half watching music videos on Yahoo Music one day at work and the video Michael came on.  I was not watching it but I started by the end of the first sentence.  It seemed to just grab me.  What happened after that was about a week of lust for everything and anything No More Kings.

NMK is headed up by singer songwriter Pete Mitchell and his life long friend Neil Robins.  Together they have made a CD that does not fit the mold of the typical pop CD.   Unlike most everything put out today, this is a group of songs that do not all sound the same and really pushes to try a lot… and it succeeds.

"No More Kings" is a reference that came out of an episode of School House Rock.  Check out their clothing line on their website for cool other SHR inspired things. 

Michael is a song and video that will bring you back to the 1980′s.  This song is a homage to Knight Rider (not necessarily The Hoff) and the video has a School House Rock vibe.   The animated video has Micheal trying "jump in and save the world’ by doing good deeds and does not do so well at it.  Very funny video and great song that will stick in your head for days. 

The pop references don’t stop there.  There are so many pop culture references that one day it seemed my goal to find them all.  I started to count and by the time I was done listening to the CD I lost count because I was distracted singing along.  

Sweep The Leg is all about the move The Karate Kid.  The video is crazy good.  On the Internet it has been deemed by some as the "Citizen Kane" of music videos.  The cast of the original movie show up (sans Pat Morita, RIP).  It is directed by William "Billy" Zabka who played Johnny in the movie.  For those that need a little refresher on who Johnny is, he is the a-hole jock that made Daniel’s life a living hell and in turn got him to seek out Mr Miyagi who taught him karate.  The videos title comes from the infamous line that Johnny’s coach utters telling Johnny to "sweep the leg".  Watch the video, it does not disappoint (as long as you have seen the movie).  The cast all still looks good.  There is an entire website devoted to this video:  www.sweeptheleg.com

There are many other favorites on this CD. 

Zombie Me covers a day where the poor guy in the song becomes a zombie because he simply died because he tripped over his shoelaces.  As the song states, "what a way to go".  Now he roams the streets "looking for brains to eat".  Great lyrics and very singable.

Leaving Lilliput is a narrative from Gulliver from "Gulliver’s Travels," as introduced by a slick radio DJ.  The metaphors alone on this song are ripe!  Very tasty, and slick with groovie ryhthum where Guliver trys to tell himself to be strong through the onslot of Liliput’s little people atacks. 

Umbrella has nothing to to with Rihanna, thank God!  First of all Pete pronounces the word unbrella correctly.   The song is so beautiful.  It talks about how life does not need protection such as an unbrella.  Sometimes you just need to get wet!  Sometimes you need tears and frowns to make life complete.  This song has a feel that reminds me of Five for Fighting.

About Schroeder is short and sweet.  Sweet in that it is about the love Sally Brown (Charlie Brown’s little sister from the Peanuts) has for Schroeder and how oblivious Schroeder is.  Not going to be a song that you put on your workout mix, but it is a song that will make you smile once listen to it again because you did not get the idea of the song the first time.  I had to replay it because it went by the first time so quickly at just under two minutes long.

There are many more tracks that I love on this CD.  All in all it is an incredible CD.  Don’t stop, buy it today.  Support great music.  We need to hear more from these guys in the future!!

I only have one request of the guys of NMK… TOUR!  I can’t wait to see you guys live.

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