Heavy distortion, high energy but with smooth, shoegaze-like vocals quietly mixed – Scott Keesler combines his passion for visual art and music, throughout the evocative and catchy journey of his new EP Come Along.
Beginning with its title track, we’re instantly presented with a unique fusion of full-throttle punk-rock fuzz and unexpected seasonal bells, all of which is followed by a simple rise and fall melody, and that vocal calm and optimism already mentioned. The story takes us somewhere new, inviting a sense of warmth and escapism, and all of this combines beautifully, for a sound that’s effectively new and quite exciting in being so.
The Come Along EP welcomes eight original tracks in full, all devoted to the feel-good energy suggested by the opener. Consider the hazier depth of One Of Them, seemingly grunge-like but still dreamy in its vocal harmonies and conceptual intrigue. The production is unique once again, subtle but striking, and the overall groove is granted plenty of time to work its magic on the listener.
Eyes is a gentler track, a beachside sway of a vibe, those choir-like vocals and the softer guitar sound carving out an intimate space, before we explode back into a fiercely passionate, distorted and double-vocal hook. This is easily one of the most memorable songs of the project, perhaps for its sheer use of contrast from the verse to the hook.
Also worth hearing is the boldness and anthemic rise and fall of Dirty Looks. The drone of grunge returns, but the paired vocals weave in that subtle Beach Boys influence, for a dark but strangely hopeful song; with a quirky chorus at its peak.
The EP’s closing track is also one that stands out, the heavy fuzz rises and falls like waves once again, before extending its reach through a more intimate pop-punk verse; which reflects on ideas that could either be uncertain or inspiring, depending on the angle from which you approach things.
There’s an intriguing vagueness to some of these lyrics, especially given the quiet mix, but always we’re gifted a satisfying hook resolve – a broader statement and light melody, to leave us with a strong sense of possibility and calm than anything else. Authenticity seems to be the driving force throughout the Come Along EP, and by employing that without concern, Scott Keesler has drifted down a road that’s entirely his own.
“You and me, we are completely different.”
Find Scott Keesler on Instagram, Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook & his Website.
