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Faith Hope Love | 
 enlarge | Artist: King's X
Label: Megaforce / Wea
Category: Music
New (25) Used (42) Collectible (4) from $1.35
Rating:  38 reviews
Sales Rank: 40811
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 82145
UPC: 075678214523
EAN: 0075678214523
ASIN: B000002IQ3
Release Date: October 15, 1990
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| Tracks:
| • | We Are Finding Who We Are | | • | It's Love | | • | I'll Never Get Tired of You | | • | Fine Art of Friendship | | • | Mr. Wilson | | • | Moanjam | | • | Six Broken Soldiers | | • | I Can't Help It | | • | Talk to You | | • | Everywhere I Go | | • | We Were Born to Be Loved | | • | Faith Hope Love | | • | Legal Kill |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
King's X lie somewhere between progressive rock and hard rock, and nowhere is that more evident than on this album. They're at their best when rocking out, as on the fast, acrobatic "Moanjam," which occasionally reminds one of Queen's "Headlong." With the slower, delicate "Six Broken Soldiers," they veer more toward Pink Floyd territory; "Fine Art of Friendship" has a fine midtempo groove and some excellent riffs. King's X enjoy harmonizing, as just about every song includes backing vocals, or else two or more of the band members share the lead. The only problem here is that they overdo it, making what could be a series of special moments into just another effect. This, coupled with overly slick production, prevents Faith Hope Love from being a great album. However, it is good, with some fine moments that help make up for its shortcomings. --Genevieve Williams
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| Customer Reviews: Read 33 more reviews...
 A Solid Headbangers Album October 30, 2008
This was my first King's X set, and I must say you would never expect this to be their third album. The riffs are superb, the sound is genuine and experienced, and the vocals are "Beatlesque". Nothing comes up short on this album, beauty and a true understanding of the word "Rock" are expressed in this wonderful junior set. Faith Hope Love= Rocks!
Faith Hope Love by King's X February 19, 2008
In the CD copy of the Faith Hope Love I have owned for 17 years, is a dollar bill signed by Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill (because Ty Tabor never came out of the tour bus - he probably still doesn't). And I remember them looking at me puzzled when I asked them to sign it, but just had to explain ... it's the only piece of paper I got. It is also the only 'rock' signature/autograph I have ever possessed. I have never sought out those I admired, bought and respected. No hanging out at the airport or hotel lobby, or waiting around their second home's garden gates waiting to catch a glimpse. Except for King's X. I'd wait around after their shows with a whole host of other fans, hoping to tell them how much I loved them and that they mattered in my life. They were worth it. They required a signature. And sometimes, I just open up the CD case, and take out that dollar bill, and look at the signatures of Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill covering up the founding father's visage, and remember what it was like to love a band that much.
FAITH HOPE LOVE is a far different affair than its predecessor 'Gretchen Goes To Nebraska'. 'Gretchen' tended to keep within a particular framework and its songs all had a persisting need to be heard with eachother. They complimented one another in the King's X 'sound' of 1989. The listener could tell the band was growing and expanding this 'sound' with one listen to its predecessor 'Out of the Silent Planet', far simpler in execution with less instrument augmentations. Faith Hope Love takes this 'sound' and experiments with it, sometimes with leaps, often with bounds, and with great talent and vision. No, not all songs are immediate (unless you're totally in love as I was with King's X back in 1990) but what you will find here are moments quite gentle, exquisite, honest, powerful, experimental and passionate.
This was also the album that made me wonder what King's X possessed musically that I lacked. And it wasn't a question of playing skills and technical prowess. It was a question of 'what' is that thing they are putting into their songs that makes them so ...... good. It's the only word that suffices to explain a thing, an emotion very hard to describe. To me, King's X had a spirit, a force working through them that I just did not have. One could call that God, one could call that belief, one could call it any thing they so wished. In hindsight, I think what I was seeing in them was their belief in what they were doing and how it was done. What they put into it. How they worked together. How 3 people could make a song sound like 1 person unified. To me, it was magic what they did.
I think this album's phenomenal. It might be my sentimental favourite. It is one I attach a great affection towards, regardless if I listened to 'Gretchen' or 'Dogman' more or less than it. Faith Hope Love is an album of great depth, sincerity and ... passion. With each listen, a new thing is heard, observed, noticed. Some of the things sneak up on you. Some catch your 'eye' automatically. It is an album that opens up like a little treasure chest. Some of the gems are ornate, some are simple. Some appear like costume jewellery, others like shining diamonds. No matter the contents of the chest, you value each and every stone and trinket discovered. All have equal value. Time may change your views of their gleam, but not a single thing is ever removed from that chest. Kind of like a wrinkled and faded dollar bill, criminally defaced by two signatures that make it worth a hundred times its value to the possessor.
With this album, I also associate the feeling of contempt and indignance. Not at King's X. At the media, and particularly other bands at the time, who appeared far more successful with something that I had known about since 'Out of the Silent Planet'. And I know all is 'cool' with parties involved, and this is not meant to enrage fans of, nor hold on to a grudge, but the one band that I remember being enraged with the most was ..... Pearl Jam. I remember how incredibly successful this band was with its first album in 1990. And I distinctly remember hearing 'Jeremy' and being absolutely fuming with this contempt and indignance. Because 'Jeremy' was a King's X song, but with Eddie Vedder singing it instead. This was further fueled by seeing them perform live on Saturday Night Live, and seeing the bass player (Jeff Ament) WEARING a King's X shirt while performing. I was in my early 20's at the time. I did not understand Ament's purpose in doing so was 'advertisement' and 'promotion' of a band he truly loved. All I saw was - you took King's X's sound, you've made a huge amount of money with it, and with your spare change you bought one of their shirts. That's all I saw. And there were a small number of bands that sounded like King's X on the horizon and in 1990 that further made me look at King's X and wonder .... why aren't they as successful??? It's their sound! They should have put a patent on it! A on their work ready to claim infringement of their art at a moment's notice, and with accolades pouring in for its innovativeness and ability to inspire? And the money. It was in 1990 that I knew the music business was wrong. It was upside down. It was unfair. And it left a slightly bitter aftertaste. My affection for this album grew, but also an intense protective jealousy towards others who tried to see inside the treasure chest and rob it of its jewels. If no one wants King's X, then they will be mine was the attitude, because you don't know what you're missing. And those fans upon fans of Pearl Jam and others, only had a portion of a portion of that chest. They had the chain that at its end once held a diamond encased in gold. Not the whole thing.
I'm thinking of the songs now that this album possesses, and I can't really think of a place to go with words that adequately says what's in that treasure chest of trinkets and rare gems. A sudden flash of "Everywhere I Go" comes in like an echo, only to be replaced by the beautiful "Legal Kill" (its most honest and profound line being 'truth does not depend on me'). Pinnick's vocal exuberance during the extensive title track, hidden behind a multi-layered King's X 'Orchestra' of instruments, or his strange disembodied like singing approach to "Talk To You", restrictive and cold as the person describes the inability to talk to those as unable to talk themselves. Pinnick's vocals throughout this album are as experimental as the music itself, and the styles embraced and abandoned since their previous effort. And the unity. The unity in which this all is presented by Tabor, Gaskill and Pinnick is something truly to be noticed and appreciated. Faith Hope Love in its artwork and fashion (and its title "by King's X") is their statement. A manifesto. It's their 'piece'. Not presented as a concept album by any means, it is more, these are the collected writings of three people (and one producer) about a certain thing (or three things). Look at the work as a whole, not as 5 short stories, 2 poems, and 6 novellas. It is meant to be Faith Hope Love by King's X, the collected writings about how they felt at the time about things.
This would be the part where I could go on about Tabor's amazing solo during 'Moanjam', or Gaskill's drumbreak and fills during 'I Can't Help It', or the when does this song actually end start and stop fashion of 'We Were Born To Be Loved'. In fact, you know when the song actually does end by the time you're used to its finale, but it's getting there each time which is so expectant and fun and joyous to celebrate that makes it a vicious cycle of pretending not knowing when it ends, but completely knowing when it does. Magic. The rabbit you know will appear out of that hat, but you still like seeing it rise up with assistance regardless.
This is not that part of my review. That was just an excerpt of wanting to say so many things, but words do not suffice.
Please purchase anything by King's X. I did. And it left me with so many words unsaid and spoken, that I think they will stay with me a lifetime.
Another Gem! September 6, 2007
All I really to say about this band is if you love sweet sounding melodies and harmonies with a dash of grit these guys are the band for you.
The tunes are very well put together and the over all experience is awesome. The first 4 to 5 cd's are most haves and the others are good as well, however this is when they were really at their peak.
Check them out!
A MUST HAVE!!!!!! August 10, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have had this CD for years, so this review is way late and I will not be long winded like usual. Simply put Faith, Hope and Love by Kings X, is one of the best albums in rock history. the Music ship is excellent, the music drives forward and rocks. the Singing and harmony's are excellent. The song witting is excellent. There is so much texture and influences rushing though each song. I can't see how anyone would not at least like this album, its a must have!
MUSIC, SWEET MUSIC! Like being at a jam session. May 10, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have a theory; hear me out.
Classic rock, the real stuff, you know before 1980 and the hair bands, had a different feel, a different texture, a different air. People continue to label anything older than 20 years as classic rock, but that really isn't fair. Like Motown, classic rock was the good old rock & roll of the 60's and 70's.
Now, to get to my point. This album is more classic rock than any other I have heard since the end of real classic rock. The reason? Almost every track is at least 4 minutes long, with huge guitar and bass solos and music that is undeterred by vocals. Think about it. Classic rock had a lot of music and a lot less to say.
This album is like that. Songs like "Moanjam", "Faith, Hope, Love", "We Are Finding Who We Are", "It's Love", "Fine Art of Friendship", "Talk To You" and "We Were Born To Be Love", all have long vocal pauses where the guys just play; like I say in my review title, it's like being at a jam session in Doug, Ty or Jerry's garage. It's just good music.
Not every song on the album is great, but the majority are. All those listed above are standouts as well as "Mr. Wilson", "I Can't Help It", "Everywhere I Go", and "I'll Never Get Tired Of You".
The only low points on the album are: "Six Broken Soldiers" which is a bit odd and, I have to admit I don't understand where they were going with this one; and "Legal Kill" which I understand is an anti-abortion song and is probably important to them, but is just kind of a downer that really never does anything to me personally.
Anyway. This album tends to get panned by even the King's X faithful and that is my theory on why. I love classic rock, you know, real classic rock, and I love this album.
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