Category: Keith A/B
Keith A/B – Which Wolf is Which
75OL-320 Keith A/B – Which Wolf is Which Digital EP
Digital download and streaming is available here
Track Listing
- Strutting Down the Halls
- Nail Biter
- Every God I Know
- Pepper Spray Day
- Win Win
- Which Wolf is Which
If It’s Too Loud reviews Keith AB’s ‘Without Grievance’
According to his brief Bandcamp bio, “Keith A/B is a singer-songwriter from the Providence area.” But that doesn’t really describe his newest album, Without Grievance.
The opening song, “Hey Kelly,” does not fit what you’d expect from a singer-songwriter. That term conjures an image of an acoustic guitar and something along the lines of folk, or maybe some mainstream, straight up rock music. Instead, “Hey Kelly” sounds like Jason Lowenstein’s contributions to Sebadoh. It’s much louder and more dissonant than a singer-songwriter usually sounds. From there “I’d Be a Success” sounds more like a singer-songwriter, but only because it’s more mellow. It still has an undercurrent of abrasive noise lurking underneath. It’s not until the fourth track, “No Black Magic Required,” that Without Grievance almost sounds like a traditional singer-songwriter, but once again even this song goes off in its own direction. And these are all good things.
Keith A/B – Without Grievance
75OL-290 Keith A/B – Without Grievance CD
Digital download and streaming is available here
$7.00 S&H Included
Track Listing
- Hey Kelly
- I’d Be A Success
- Candle Wax
- No Black Magic Required
- Kids
- Future-Proof
- Triple Deckers
- Celebration
- Alligators Chased Me Home
Keith A/B is a Providence area singer-songwriter. For fans of Jeff Buckley, The Walkmen, Tame Impala, Deerhunter, Polvo, Cobra Verde, and Guided by Voices.
The Noise reviews Keith A/B’s ‘Unbridled Optimism’
Keith A/B – Unbridled Optimism
6 tracks
Innovative textures and instrumentals are matched to quirky vocal melodies to form some intriguing songs by this solo performer; some of which verge on epic, notably the opening track “We’ll Send Our Sympathies,” which is supported by relentless rhythm guitar and a positively eerie horn-like refrain. The tumultuous churning in the back of “Your Mother Needs a Man” fails to completely obliterate the rather sweet, almost poppy vocal melody delivered with a degree of intensity which creates an interesting sensation of dissonance, literal and cognitive. “Capital S” is instrumentally deliberately jarring and angular, with over-miked guitar thrumming layered in back of Keith A/B’s almost sing-songy vocal melody. (Think Patsy Cline’s version of “Tennessee Waltz.”) The end result is an almost nightmarish ambiance, as the vocalist ominously declaims “You will tremble/ You will tremble/ You will tremble like a leaf.” Of the remaining songs, the repetitive “An Hour a Day” seems like a misfire; “Fortune Cookies” is a brazen, poppy rock song but otherwise not particularly innovative; “One Bad Egg” is an anodyne wistful ballad. But the first three songs are strange and wonderful. Recommended.
Keith A/B – Unbridled Optimism
75OL-239 Keith A/B – Unbridled Optimism
$7.00 S&H Included
Digital download is available here
Track Listing
1. We’ll Send Our Sympathies 4:50
2. Your Mother Needs a Man 3:34
3. Capital S 3:33
4. An Hour a Day 3:13
5. Fortune Cookies 3:11
6. One Bad Egg 2:47
Keith A/B is as Providence area singer-songwriter who’s Unbridled Optimism is a delicious mixture of indie rock, garage and power-pop. The EP features Keith’s clear, somber melodies over big guitars with lyrics about little people asking big questions or puffing their chests. All tracks were recorded in Mr. A/B’s home studio over the course of a year. For fans of Jeff Buckley, The Walkmen, Tame Impala, Deerhunter, Polvo, Cobra Verde, and Guided by Voices.
All songs written, performed, recorded and mixed by Keith A/B. Mastered by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio, Lincoln, RI.