KALEO AT TERMINAL 5 IN NEW YORK CITY
Grammy-nominated, highly acclaimed, Icelandic rock band Kaleo has a sound that pairs beautifully with their electrifying, awe-inducing onstage presence. Fresh off the release of Surface Sounds, Kaleo had packed out NYC venue, Terminal 5, for a night that held the audience captivated. A true force to be reckoned with, one of the many standout moments of the night were the opening chords to the high energy “Break My Baby”, that with its sway-worthy melody, and deeply resonant vocals by frontman Jökull Júlíusson, in a room where a pin could drop: was a truly unforgettable moment.
The release of sophomore album Surface Sounds in late 2021 has us seeing Kaleo evolve into their own sound with an authentic embrace of familiar southern grit seen in the likes of folksy Americana in country genres. As seen in the lyrics of “Broken Bones” off the album A/B ,that in the simplistic chorus alone, “The devil's going to make me a free man, the devil's going to set me free" reinforces an aura of effortless appeal seen beyond a single genre, and veers into shaping the group's sound as multifaceted. This isn't another rock group, nor another rock show. Within seconds into the second song of their set, Kaleo had their audience calling out lyric after lyric, clapping, and stomping along to a lax beat - a feat which is rarely seen in acts less than a decade together. For Kaleo, it's truly exceptional.
In a further infusion of songs combined from A/B and Surface Sounds, the track “Alter Ego” was another highlight of the night, leaning into a riff-heavy, fierce direction that captured the sultry energy of classic rock as seen in the supporting act of Des Rocs. In the complimentary, diverse use of falsetto, heavy bass, and drum percussion, there wasn't a still body in the audience. The track, like Kaleo, is a love letter to classic rock, and is an act totally worth checking out. A night full of tracks for fans and those who've been around for a while, there were no misses. The crowd knew these songs word for word. Kaleo is still on tour. Click here to see where you can catch the next stop. Make sure you click here to download or stream the album today.