We the Kings, Sunshine State of Mind
We the Kings rule benevolently, in the manner of monarchs of AM radio in the mid-1970s. Their pop, refined as it is, is simple and direct to resonate right out of an old car stereo. The song titles assess every aspect of young love: “Somebody to Call My Own,” “Say You Like Me,” “Sleep With Me,” “ “You and Only You,” “Over You.” The lyrics are somewhat more complex than that.
No political entanglements, just crisp regal-rock pronouncements, with ooh-ooh-oohs and frisky guitars. Even the hardest rockers on the record, like “Kiss Me Last,” are civilized and genteel: “Kiss me last; I don’t care who kissed you first.”