About a year ago, Kingsfoil was set to open for former commercial rock titans Creed, founders of underbite post-grunge that has scourged us ever since. Then the clouds gathered, the lightning crackled and the rains soaked the Hersheypark Star Pavilion. It was not meant to be; almost as if someone whose opinion really mattered either had mercy on Creed and couldn’t bear to see them embarrassed by the opening act, or didn’t want Kingsfoil’s future glory besmirched by the association.

A rising phenomenon ready to transcend the boundaries of Central PA, Kingsfoil is indeed a threat to the old guard, with delicate and focused melodies and enough testosterone to wiggle free of any piano-rock pigeonholes. Fly Magazine spoke with singer and songwriter Jordan Davis as the band prepared for the June release of its sparkling pop tour de force, On Our Own Together, to discuss how he and his band arrived at the threshold they find themselves standing on today.

Davis and longtime friend and collaborator Tristan Martin bounced in and out of unstable band situations throughout their teen years until finding consistency several years ago as an acoustic duo, adopting the name Kingsfoil (yes, it is a Lord of the Rings reference, and yes, it was derived from the book, not the movie). After a few years, and with some trepidation, they added a few friends on bass and drums. Davis recalls, “Our fans were unsure about it and we were unsure about it, but it was what we ultimately wanted to do, get our music out in bigger venues and play in a louder way.” The turning point came a bit later when the first bass player left the band and current bass player Tim Warren entered the fold. Davis says, “He sort of solidified what we’re about. When he joined, it really sort of put a direction on what we were doing, really breathed some life into the full band.”

Three years later, Kingsfoil has achieved new heights with the release of an album that is crackling with energy and potential. The songs have the focus one would expect from a careful pop songwriter, but the unbridled energy and unexpectedness that emerges from collaboration. Davis and Martin co-wrote several songs, and the rest Davis sparked himself. He explains, “I bring the song to [the band], and I keep an open mind. I can let parts go and let stuff get re-arranged. I give them a lot of flexibility.”

The band members’ influences are broad. Davis cites some of Martin’s heavier favorites, like Red Hot Chili Peppers, alongside more introspective, folk-oriented artists, like Conor Oberst. The end result coheres into something that defies direct comparisons or parallels by echoing bands like these without ever aping any of them. Listening to On Our Own Together, one can immediately pick out bands like Lovedrug and Eisley (which Davis readily admits were influences), Jimmy Eat World and Coldplay. But there are unexpected moments where other elements creep in, like, for example, Imogen Heap’s peculiar and freakishly genius songwriting. Davis takes that comparison as a compliment and tells this story: “When we went down [to Nashville to work on the album], we all had our iPods, but for some reason we only had one CD in the van. So the whole trip and making of the record, [Imogen Heap’s Speak For Yourself] was like our soundtrack. We would just put on Imogen Heap and just unwind to it.” Davis also admits to a love of pop music, and is particularly a fan of Lady Gaga; somehow, I can even hear that in On Our Own Together.

After assembling a full album’s worth of songs, the members of Kingsfoil decided to put their heads down, earn or borrow the funds and make the best record possible without the entanglements of a label or other party. They had done a few tracks in Nashville with producer/engineer Dustin Burnett, and things clicked so well that they packed up and went south again to finish the album. Using three different studio locations for various instruments, they shaped, forged, polished and turned out an album that any major label would be proud to attach its name to.

Davis explains that Kingsfoil’s last few releases were an EP and a double-single because “that’s how people consume music these days.” However – short attention spans be damned – Davis says that after years of releasing material piecemeal, “we felt like we sort of needed [an album]. We needed to find ourselves, find our identity, make something we could really be proud of.”

And they weren’t going to wait around for the fictional A&R man with a briefcase of cash and cocaine to show up and help them make it. “We weren’t gonna try to make a bunch of demos and then hope that somebody would scoop us up,” Davis says. However, in case that mythical label guy is listening, they’re open to an offer (without the coke). Davis admits, “If somebody likes this [album], a label, then it’s ready to go.”

That is the beauty of what Kingsfoil is setting out to achieve with this album. They put their own money into it, and they made sure they were artistically gratified; anything else they get out of it is gravy. “Basically, we just wanted to make something that no one could deny that it was that good from the recording,” Davis says. “Whether that means label attention or not – if it doesn’t, we still have this piece of art, and we can get the tools to promote it ourselves, which is what we’re already doing.”

The members of Kingsfoil are justifiably proud of what they have pulled off. While Davis’ manner is devoid of any Scott Stapp-like braggadocio, he is forthright in his estimation of the band’s potential. “We feel like we have something that a lot of people could make money on, but we’re not going to do anything stupid if we get put in that position,” he says.