January 2006:
Because the cafe hosting tonight's short set has built its reputation on friendliness and warmth of character, the quieter musician's task of overcoming a noisy and indifferent hubbub for once isn't an issue. It must be refreshing every now and again for singer-songwriters not to have to contend with that, and McKeown's delivery benefits from being allowed the space it needs to really work. Because it does work. Vocal comparisons to Buckley are delt out to this type of act every day of the week, and usually on the basis of very little save a vaguely high pitch and a vulnerable disposition. But McKeown takes the influence and works with it in another form: his opener employs voice as instrument rather than deliverer of lyric, reminiscent of Buckley's choral modulations in 'So Real' amongst others. So although his entry is around the eight minute mark, its opening digression is malleable and hypnotic enough to really capture attention before ensuring it is held.
Reasonably dark and quite pensive, his material is deceptively complicated, at least in a technical sense. Structures dont necessarily always make immediate sense given the length of the pieces - context can admittedly be lost - though granted familiarity would sort that out. But songs like 'Vanishing Magician' show a sort of smoky, '20s-esque revelry that is all the more impressive for being complimented by the talents of Cava's Ruby Colley on violin, who by this stage will need little introduction save to say that if you havent seen her play, get out and do it now. The complexity of some of the guitar lines causes a few fumbles here and there in the form of notes not quite reached, or a string not ringing, but when the moment passes the gripes are miniscule ones, and the compositional effort is duly noted. His guitar adventures are a means to an end however, and that end is emotional and well delivered music created with a nascent panache. It is delicate and affecting where it needs to be, and with vocals that resonate equally powerfully when called upon, things bode well for his music given an attuned recording. If you see him in the listings do yourself the favour. Being genuinely morose without the shoegazing or self indulgence is a difficult thing to pull off. He does it though, and well.
Ciaran Tracey
www.metalireland.com
