After a 17-year silence, The King Canutes returns with their new single “Seymour Stein (for Earle Holmes)” and it is a wonderful reminder of what makes this Brooklyn–London duo so special. Taken from their upcoming debut album “Eastern Seaboard, Perfect Summer” (out November 21 via Magic Door Record Label), the track shows both maturity and freshness, combining heartfelt songwriting with rich instrumentation. Written by Keir Woods after moving from New York to Paris, the song captures feelings of release and freedom, but also the doubts that haunt every artist starting over. There’s joy, nostalgia, and a quiet sadness beneath the upbeat melodies—exactly the kind of emotional duality that makes The King Canutes’ music so interesting. Musically, the song is intelligent pop with a touch of folk and indie rock. The interplay between Keir Woods and Richard Alwyn Fisher’s vocals is striking—one warm and sonorous, the other raw and scrappy. This duality gives the track a character that recalls The Go-Betweens, but with a modern, cosmopolitan twist. The production by Ray Ketchem is excellent, keeping the song clean and layered. Mac Gollehon’s horns lift the arrangement into something timeless, while the rhythm section of Dave Derby and Kevin March keeps everything tight and dynamic. Jessie Kilguss’s backing vocals add a subtle but beautiful texture. “Seymour Stein (for Earle Holmes)” is an upbeat, catchy, yet bittersweet track that lingers in your mind long after it ends. It’s a perfect reintroduction to The King Canutes, and it sets high expectations for the full album.
♦ 8/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
