Keith - Up In The Clouds

MANCHESTER’S BEST KEPT SECRET ARE BACK, AND AS WILLFULLY WONDERFUL AS EVER. UP IN THE CLOUDS IS THE NEW SINGLE FROM KEITH, AND THE FIRST TASTE OF VICE & VIRTUE, THEIR ASTONISHING NEW ALBUM. VICE & VIRTUE SEES KEITH WORKING WITH WHITE-HOT PRODUCER DAN CAREY, WHOSE VARIED CREDITS INCLUDE HOT CHIP, KYLIE, KELIS, SLY & ROBBIE AND THE FORTHCOMING FRANZ FERDINAND ALBUM. THIS IS THE GUY THAT FRANZ FERDINAND DITCHED XENOMANIA FOR; KEITH GOT THERE FIRST.

BUILT ON A RUMBLING BASS GROOVE, UP IN THE CLOUDS BURSTS WITH ATTITUDE AND SWAGGER, A SQUALL OF SCATTERGUN RIFFS AND DOUBLE-QUICK DRUMS ; THEN SURPRISINGLY A JAZZ BREAK IS THE EYE OF THE STORM. SINGER OLI BAYSTON SAYS THE STUDIO JAM FROM WHICH THE SONG CAME “HIT ON SOMETHING HEAVIER AND MORE INTENSE THAN EVER BEFORE.”  WITH LYRICS CONSCIOUSLY ADDING CONTRASTING DREAMS OF LOVE’S ESCAPISM, THE WHOLE IS COUPLED WITH THE TOUCH OF ‘OTHERNESS’ THAT TYPIFIES KEITH’S WORK.

ON THE B-SIDE, ANOTHER BELTER: WELCOME TO MY FAIRGROUND INTERTWINES ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITARS WITH BAYSTON’S ATHLETIC HALF SUNG, HALF-SPAT VOCAL ; DRIVING RHYTHMS AND MELODIES STUBBORNLY REFUSING TO FOLLOW THE CONVENTIONS OF POP SONGWRITING. IN OTHER WORDS, NO LESS THAN WE’D EXPECT FROM ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST INVENTIVE YOUNG BANDS.

VICE & VIRTUE WILL BE KEITH’S SECOND ALBUM FOLLOWING 2006’S RED THREAD AND UP IN THE CLOUDS GIVES CLEAR INDICATION OF THE EMOTIONAL DELIVERY AND ENERGY THAT SEPARATE KEITH FROM THEIR PEERS AND AWAITS US ON THE FORTHCOMING FULL-LENGTH, WHICH WILL BE RELEASED FEBRUARY 2009.

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