Will Kindler

You probably haven’t heard of Will Kindler. Now you have, but just wait until you hear him.
I don’t know the man, but he has just given birth to an exceptionally brilliant ten-track recording, “Trifles for Queen Jane.” I’ve heard it three times now, and I like it better every time. Mind you, I liked it an awful lot the first time.
If comparisons to better-known musicians are helpful, think Dylan (circa 1966) and the Beatles (Sgt. Pepper through White Album), sung by a straight and slightly more subdued Freddie Mercury… if that’s possible. I trust Kindler welcomes such comparisons, as his CD title echoes Dylan’s “Queen Jane Approximately,” and Kindler’s “She (Knows Not),” will remind listeners of Dylan’s “She Belongs to Me.”
Beyond that, I can’t say much. I’m a music lover, not a critic. It’s just shockingly good stuff. I don’t have a favorite song, at least not yet. They’re all good. If I had to file the record into a category, I’d have a tough time deciding between folk and rock. Kindler plays guitar, and various keyboards, and his record also features some sweet and mournful violin and cello parts, with nicely understated bass and drum propulsion.
I got my copy of “Trifles for Queen Jane” from my friend Steve, who’s tight with the folks at Rocking Horse Studios, where this precocious child was delivered. Kindler, Steve tells me, is a 20-something kid from Wilton, and “Trifles” is his first record. (I don’t know if it’s available on vinyl or not, but I’m old enough that I call any recording a record). It doesn’t sound like anybody’s first recording, and it sounds far better than whatever you might expect from the first recording of an obscure young artist from Wilton, New Hampshire.
You can buy tracks from the record here, for the shockingly low price of 18 cents, unless my eyes tricked me.
That’s probably the best bargain I’ve seen since I found an original, “Carbona” version of the Ramones’ “Leave Home” in a cut-out bin some 30 years ago in New Jersey.
Will, if you read this: Don’t sell yourself short. What you have done is worth way more than that. And tell your friends, by the way, I like that one, too. I’m certain those who keep listening through the shimmering silence after track nine will agree.
- The Nashua Telegraph

A little lyrical jumpstart. Brain candy kindling sung through sweet sonic lullabies, but never lulled to sleep. Too many bands go for the souped up sounds, cacophonous melodies that confuse you, no meat on the bones.

They are too caught up in their own sound that they forget the foundation of a good song, is a good story and the right person to tell it. Kindler spent a whole winter in a house without heat, a bottle of whiskey, good friends and a commitment to the story and it shows in songs. I remember listening to Buckely’s Grace the first time. I felt like I was being let in on a secret, that I was literally hearing the inner workings of a beautiful mind. To tell you the truth, bringing up Buckley makes me nervous. I mean I am stepping on some hallowed ground, but screw it…

I’ve been waiting for a voice, for a day that I I could forget that part of me that died the day Buckley died. A decade later and Kindler has done that even if it’s for one split second. He is taking off where Buckley left off and has the potential to do more. If I have one word of advice for Kindler it would be don’t die, please. You have a great future ahead of you that doesn’t involve drowning. Device of Desire certainly shows us he’s well versed in the Americana Dylan colors. But it’s “You I and the princely thief” that proves to me that he has the chops to be spoke in the same breath as Buckley. Beyond on all this, fans of bands like The Watchmen, The London Suede, Supergrass will also find something here for you.

I remember reading a review once. It read as a compliment. “More mewlin than a kitty, but a kitty never sounded so pretty” There is something so wrong about this quote in relation to Kindler’s music, he’s not a mewler, but there is something so right there too. Maybe it’s the pretty kitty part.
- Red Sea Station

Outfitted in black pants, shirt, and white vest; sunburst Gibson acoustic in hand and harmonica draped around his neck, 21 year old Will Kindler stepped onto the stage at Cambridge’s Middle East club. Dec. 5 was Kindler’s first time joining in on the club’s historic music scene, and he did not disappoint.
In for a twist from the bitter December cold, Kindler warmed the audience with his melodies. Soothing the crowd as they warmed up to the eclectic and inimitable sound of his voice, the clock stroke 8:30. Kindler’s harmonics took flight resonating through the air as his voice followed.
He opened with, “Device of desire,” the first off his record Trifles for Queen Jane. Kindler demonstrated his varied adventurous vocal nature with the performance of his songs. He effortlessly juggled his vocals, harmonica, and guitar while projecting his greatly relatable lyrics on to his listeners.
Kindler’s captivating performance of five songs was augmented with intermittent breaks for comical statements and sips of Newcastle. His easy-going style naturally allowed him to modernize the classical old school combination of guitar and harmonica. Without a doubt, he is enjoyable to watch on stage with his various musical talents.
Kindler, possessing Bob Dylan-esque qualities, not only in tunes, but lyrics and presence as well; lured his listeners into a trance to absorb his sensuous melodies.
His comfort on stage and with the crowd could not be denied; he is a genuine and unique performer with raw natural talent. He juggled vocals, guitar, and harmonica simultaneously and with precision.
With the current situation in the music industry, new artist must strive to break musical molds by going beyond what others have accomplished. Doing so calls for a truly unique artist and performer. Kindler says on his Myspace page, “I really wanted to be performing more of my own work, but everything I wrote seemed so dry and lifeless. I was writing about real things without ever having experienced them and it showed.”
With this in mind, he decided to immerse himself into an inadequate living scene to selflessly alter his perception on certain life views. He did this in hopes of evoking a more realistic feel for the reality of his lyrics to his listeners.
Not only does he strive to entertain his listeners, but also to have them fully believe in the passion and soulfulness described in his songs. With the help of Myspace, he slowly but surely is spreading his musical wings in search of new and heightened musically entailed opportunities. Kindler said, “I’m doing different things and really can’t wait to do the next one - which is sort of what I would want people to know. I wouldn’t really know what to call it, probably only that I want to be Johnny Cash or something. Folk-Country or something like that.”
Kindler’s work is up on Digstation, Amazon, and iTunes, and also on his Myspace page, located at www.myspace.com/willkindler.
- UML Connector