In the first installment of Kings for a Day, we reviewed the history of bands that, for a brief moment, seemed destined to become the big names of their generation. Groups like Elastica, Therapy?, and The Beta Band came close to the throne but never quite occupied it. These were bands that didn’t necessarily fail (many built solid careers and released commendable albums), but whose moment of glory fell far short of the expectations they had generated. In this second installment, we continue to search for those artists who, due to talent, hype, context, or simply bad luck, seemed to have the future in their hands. And, as often happens with the future, it ended up taking another path.
Sneaker Pimps – Becoming X (1996)
After the explosion of the Bristol scene and trip-hop, Sneaker Pimps seemed destined to be included in the pack. Their debut, Becoming X (1996), blended trip hop, pop, and electronica with elegance, while songs like 6 Underground appeared on radios, soundtracks, and television, becoming an underground anthem of the era.
However, just when everything seemed set to consolidate that success, the band made an unexpected decision to part ways with Kelli Ali, the voice that had defined their sound and much of their personality. Subsequent albums opted for a more experimental and darker approach, artistically interesting but much less palatable for the general public.
Sneaker Pimps never quit, but the group the world had known with Becoming X disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. A career marked by a decision as brave as it was risky, which ultimately moved them away from the privileged position they seemed destined for.
Gomez – Bring it on (1998)
A clear case of how the press and critics can elevate you, but “the people” don’t follow. Their first album, Bring It On (1998), surprised with its original blend of rock, blues, folk, and psychedelia, a proposition that earned them the prestigious Mercury Prize (cheers!) and immediately placed them among the great hopes after the post-Britpop hangover.
However, that recognition never translated into massive success. Although they released several albums of notable quality and built a long and coherent career, Gomez gradually lost media presence as trends changed and new names appeared on the island’s music scene.
Another case proving that the approval of awards and press hype may not guarantee you a pole position.
Cold — 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage (2000)
If we add up all the ingredients, Cold seemed to have everything to become one of the big names in American alternative rock. With 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage (2000) and Year of the Spider (2003), the Jacksonville band found a balance between the power of post-grunge and a melodic sensibility that allowed them to be played on radio and tour with some of the most important groups of the time.
However, while contemporaries who would become dad rock figures like Staind, Breaking Benjamin, or Three Days Grace soared, Cold never managed to make that final leap in popularity. Lineup changes, industry problems, and an increasingly saturated music scene gradually extinguished the momentum of a band that seemed destined for much higher achievements.
Although they maintained a very loyal fanbase and a remarkably consistent discography, Cold eventually became one of those names many remember fondly but never quite occupied the privileged spot that seemed to await them in the early 2000s.
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead — Source Tags and Codes (2002)
In the early 2000s, the press went into collective delirium to find saviors of rock, and …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and their sound were ideal for it. With Source Tags & Codes (2002), the Texan group delivered one of the most celebrated albums of the decade, while their explosive live shows and artistic ambition fueled the feeling that they were destined to become the new Sonic Youth.
However, the definitive breakthrough never came. Although subsequent albums like Worlds Apart maintained a notable standard, critical and public attention gradually waned. What seemed like the beginning of a career destined to occupy the forefront of rock eventually became a respected trajectory, but increasingly removed from the media spotlight.
Trail of Dead never ceased to be a relevant band within alternative rock, but they also never reached the place many had reserved for them. Their story demonstrates that even almost unanimous critical backing and an album considered a masterpiece are not always enough to turn a band into a generational phenomenon.
The Thrills — So Much For The City (2003)
In 2003, The Thrills were one of the big sensations of the summer, despite being from Dublin. Their debut, So Much for the City, captivated critics with a collection of luminous songs that evoked the American West Coast, while tracks like Big Sur or One Horse Town played frequently.
For a while, it felt like the Irish quintet was destined to lead a new wave of sophisticated, carefree pop leaning towards the Beach Boys side of life. However, the charm of that first album proved difficult to sustain. Their subsequent works went largely unnoticed, and changing trends eventually relegated them to the background.
Although they left behind some of the best songs from that brief surge of melodic indie at the turn of the century, The Thrills never regained the momentum of their early years. Their story is that of a band whose moment passed almost as quickly as a summer breeze.
CSS — Cansei de Ser Sexy (2005)
In the mid-2000s, few bands better represented the fluorescent spirit of indie than CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy). Hailing from São Paulo, they conquered festivals, magazines, and music blogs with an explosive mix of electronica, punk, and danceable pop that turned songs like Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above or Alala into circumstantial anthems of the era. For a time, they were the face of the new wave of indie-dance that dominated dance floors worldwide.
However, that explosion was as intense as it was brief. Although they continued to release albums and maintained a solid reputation within the independent circuit, they never again generated the enthusiasm of their early years. Changing trends and the rapid decline of that scene eventually relegated them to the background.
CSS were one of the great phenomena of the MySpace era, a band that for an instant seemed to be everywhere and, almost as quickly, disappeared from the center of the conversation.