ORIGINAL MUSIC REVIEWS
ARTIST - ASHBURY KEYS
EP REVIEW - WAKE UP
GENRE / STYLE - ROCK
GENRE / STYLE - ROCK
COPYRIGHT 2012 - ASHBURY KEYS
In America, it is time for THANKSGIVING. A time for people to travel near and far to be with their Family and stuff our faces. It doesn't matter if they moved away temporary or permanent. It doesn't matter if they are miles or minutes away. It doesn't matter where they are coming from or going to within their lives. It doesn't matter who they voted for or who they voted against in the last Presidential Election. It is a time for Families to join together and give thanks for their family and our country. Brothers and Sisters, Aunts and Uncles, Dogs and Cats, West and East come together to break some bread, break some wind, fall asleep during a football game (Great Game #37), then maybe get filmed together having a fist fight for the next episode of COPS (sometimes not in that order).
Most family members, especially siblings, have a tough time being in the same room for more than 5 minutes. As I started to write this review on the EP "Wake Up," I noticed that the band Ashbury Keys include two brothers from the Houston Texas area; David Keys (Vocals & Guitars) and Darwin Keys (Drums & Vocals). I started thinking of some of the great groups like AC/DC, Halestorm, Heart, The Jackson 5, LeVert, Oasis, The Osmonds, and Stone Temple Pilots all of whom have or had siblings in them. If it is difficult for friends to work together in a band, one can only imagine how it must be with family. I also wondered if Bill Walter (Bass & Vocals) felt like he is always in the middle. Like someone in between a store front and the "Black Friday" mob without rules running at him. Those who wake up as early birds to go fight the crowds, know what I am talking about.
Anyway, Let's dig into the review of WAKE UP:
(sorry, no audio or video link available)
Anyway, Let's dig into the review of WAKE UP:
(sorry, no audio or video link available)
"Oh My GOD"
This is my favorite tune off of the CD. Hyper and a distorted. The spinning punk riffs, injected into a cleaner pop style. Clear vocal style meet the lower income punk lyrics which could be used in the 1970's. "I need a job, but times are tough... the holidays are looking bad these days." Sad, but true in the 70's and today.
"Swimmer"
Musically and Lyrically is perfect for Radio. Like most good tunes it is musically basic but catchy. It is poppy and bouncy yet it has a gritty guitar that goes along well with the mixture of distorted and clean vocal presentation. It has a grunge feel to it.
"Wake Up"
A look into the mirror with serious introspection about personal development. The singing is clean, clear and heart felt. The chorus: "I'm older... but I'm trying..." Sounds like something most people can relate too. It very well describes the work in progress we all go through. It is called growing up.
Sister Sledge are true sisters, the Pointer Sisters were also sisters, The Allman Brothers had a couple of brothers in it, but The Doobie Brothers weren't brothers at all. The one thing those original artists have in common with the Ashbury Keys is that their latest EP "Wake Up" welcomes you, just like you were family coming home for Thanksgiving. However, if these guys have conflicts like most families, you will not know it when listening to this nicely written, well recorded, and produced CD. Most of it has basic chord structures, but in this case simple is better. The lyrics are memorable and current. The style of this music collection is evolving from song to song mostly in the Rock/Pop range with some Grunge thrown in. Maybe not full Grunge. Grunge sometime has reluctant taste of punk. This EP does have a slight punk attitude under current that flows throughout. Not at all reluctant, not over done to kill the pop component. It is just there and it works very well.
The recording process sometimes must contain over dubs, cross overs, punch in & outs which can be done inside the studio to enhance the musicians performance. It is easier and sounds cleaner today with technology, than it did in many years past by splicing reel to reel feeds. Sometimes even with today's tricks, even a three piece band may not sound in sync or uniform when the music is mixed down. The musicianship on "Wake Up" by the Texas trio of David Keys, Darwin Keys and Bill Walter, sounds like one big happy family. A nice recording and mixing was done on the Wake Up EP. The song writing musically maybe boiled down and basic, but it is fun to listen to.
Actor Kevin Bacon is in a band with his brother, named The Bacon Brothers. Before he was in the "Funky Bunch" or an Hollywood star, "Marky" Mark Wahlberg sang with his brother Donnie Wahlberg as one of the original members of New Kids On The Block (guess he didn't have "The Right Stuff" to stay). I don't know the future of the the Ashbury Keys or the Key Brothers. What I do know is that "Wake Up" has some damn good music on it. You can mark my words : if the Ashbury Keys continue to travel down the same music path, they will have many more solid music contributions, like this one, in the future. When you mark my words, remember I don't like to eat crow. I eat Turkey.
I got dibs on a Drum Stick and a Baseball Bat, I'm off to visit my Family.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone !!
-AlexORIGINAL MUSIC REVIEWS
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