The Mood Kings contain reserves of depth and dark wonder. The more you're exposed to the Charlotte rock trio's repertoire, the deeper that mystery gets. It's in the near-telepathic connection between guitarist/singer Herman Ospina, bassist Joey Townsend, and drummer Mark Schwarze, and in Townsend's powerful backing vocals, which add a dimension of dialogue to songs that are already fiercely communicative. It's in the group's sense of melody, which is simultaneously familiar and novel, and their approach to small-combo arrangement, in which every detail and every instrument sound is carefully considered. It's in the haunting sound of The Wonder Of It All, the band's 2018 debut full-length, and the many singles that have followed. Most of all, it's in The Mood Kings' lyrics, which, without ever being too overt about it, are emotionally evocative and effortlessly poetic.