Reacting to a music industry in flux, earlier this year The Keys set out on a mission to release four EPs over the course of a year. The Christmas E.P is the second one in this series, and was recorded in their own studio on sixteen track tape; it’s this that gives it an authenticity and personality that many modern over produced releases lack. The Keys’ new work shows their progression as an act, they’re still informed by their classic 60s pop influences but now each piece is more melodic and subtle; swirled with psychedelic patterns: informed by cult legends like 13th floor Elevators, The Velvet Underground and the Jesus and Mary Chain, whilst imbuing each homespun recording with a personal warmth and experimentalism that is informed by modern artists like Panda Bear of the Animal Collective and Spiritualized band leader Jason Pearce.
A million miles away from your cheesy over played Christmas hits that you’ll be sick of by the end of December, lead track ‘Queuing up for Xmas Time’ is a delightfully unassuming slice of Beatles-esque pop. A foot tapping, sleigh bell shaking, jaunt through the festive holiday period, replete with singer Matthew Evans’ sighing, wistful chorus (it’s even got a whistling solo) that looks into the future with hope in his heart ‘all the shops will be shut but the world will be fine…’ Second track ‘Somewhere’ meanwhile trots imperiously along vacated deserts on effortlessly cool Rickenbacker riffs, and a delicious 60s flecked bittersweet, melody. ‘There’s a place’ is a gorgeously dewy eyed strum, reminiscent of the down-tempo works of the Band, watch out for the wonderfully unexpected, woozy harmonica line half way through. ‘The Reveal’ meanwhile is a delicately picked harp instrumental interlude that breaks up the EP expertly, while final track ‘Strange Garden’ gives an energetic full stop to the release. Fizzing kaleidoscopic guitar figures interplay with stomping drums while dabbing Hammond organs weave their way through the rhythm, while the lilting harmonies are redolent of the work of the Byrds.
