Telecaster-wielding John Paul Keith has been rattling around the fringes of the roots rock arena since around 1994. He has racked up hundreds of smoking shows with a variety of outfits including the V-Roys, one of his earliest, with little to show for it. The Knoxville, TN based guitarist/vocalist moved operations to Memphis in 2005, took a few years to put together a solid band of like-minded musicians who understood his gutsy take on rock, soul, and country, and finally released this debut disc in 2009. It's a rollicking set of garagy rock & roll, rockabilly, country, swamp, and surf with just enough of that indescribably Memphis mojo to bring soul into the equation too. Retro enthusiasts will recognize strains of Creedence, the early Beatles, and any number of rockers with dashes of Farfisa and a loose-limbed twang to their sound. Just when it seems everything that can be accomplished with three chords has already been done, Keith comes along and tears into a dozen originals that, while not exactly reinventing the wheel, will fill the '50s linoleum dancefloor for a half-hour. He sports an unassuming voice, somewhat like Jerry Lee Lewis, and his band, especially keyboardist Al Gamble, finds that elusive Sun records energy so difficult to capture in other cities. There can't help but be a retro quality to this music, but Keith and band never simply mimic their musical influences. The songs rumble and rock led by Keith's choppy Telecaster, and even when he obviously rips off a few licks on the peppy "She'll Dance to Anything" (from the Champs' "Tequila"), his contagious vibe is so swinging that you won't care. The album's one instrumental, "Cookie Bones," sounds like a mash-up of every cool Booker T. & the MG's tune, and the rollicking "Pure Cane Sugar" does a terrific job echoing the Beatles trying to be Larry Williams. When the closing rocker "Doin' the Devils Work" rolls around only 36 minutes after the disc began, you'll wish there was more. That's the sign of a keeper, and even though it took too long to get here, hopefully there is more where this came from. (Allmusic)
trax:
01 Lookin' for a Thrill 02 Pure Cane Sugar 03 Secondhand Heart 04 She'll Dance to Anything 05 Cookie Bones 06 Let's Get Gone 07 Smoke in a Bottle 08 Otherwise 09 Rock N Roll Will Break Your Heart 10 If I Were You 11 Too Hip 12 Doin' the Devil's Work
...served by Gyro1966...
9 comments:
JOHN PAUL KEITH & THE ONE FOUR FIVES "Spills And Thrills"
...served by Gyro1966...
gitit! no pw
http://www18.zippyshare.com/v/94666737/file.html
BONUS:
JOHN PAUL KEITH - Memphis Circa 3AM (2013)
http://www60.zippyshare.com/v/29991465/file.html
John Paul Keith's tuneful songwriting, a mix of power pop and rockabilly with a dose of country tossed in, makes him sound, at his best, like a blend of Marshall Crenshaw playing with Creedence Clearwater Revival, with maybe Rodney Crowell at his 1990s commercial peak sitting in, and it's a bright, uncluttered vision that may not actually get him time on the big radio stations, but it should, at least in a fair and equitable world. Memphis Circa 3AM is his third solo album, and it doesn't differ much in approach from his previous outings, which is far from a bad thing. Produced by Roland Janes and recorded to two-inch tape (with no computers in sight) at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis, Keith's adopted home town, the album tosses off track after track of sharp pop melodies and crisp playing, all with a warm, joyous veneer that makes this outing Keith's best so far. Keith writes unassuming, uncluttered love songs with the best of them, and tracks like "We Got All Night" and "Everything's Different Now" seem like timeless, pure pop gems, while "True Hard Money" bounces along on a "Roll Over Beethoven" rhythm that would make Chuck Berry proud. The two-step country shuffle "There's a Heartache Going 'Round" recalls Buck Owens' country-pop Bakersfield sound, and probably should be immediately covered by Dwight Yoakam, while the set closer, "Baby We're a Bad Idea," bubbles along with an echoing surf guitar feel, so even though Keith's style is identifiable and consistent, there's a lot of variety within his songwriting and playing approach. Janes' production catches it all perfectly, and this is another fine outing from an artist who deserves a much wider audience. (Steve Leggett, Allmusic)
Thanks man! I already had Memphis 3AM, that's one of my favorites this year, I'm looking forward to the early stuff.
Being a long-time Marshall Crenshaw fan, and an even longer-time Creedence fan, I'm more than eager to jump into some J.P. Keith music. Thanks so much for providing the opportunity.
Iggy
Thanks for turning me on to JPK.
I did some digging after you shared The Man That Time Forgot and found the two albums you posted today and spent some quality time with all of them yesterday.
John Paul Keith is all that you claim him to be and more. Artist like him are few and far between - once discovered they become a permanent part of the whole of the body of one's musical knowledge and appreciation.
Thank you for your generousity and exquisite taste in music.
For me, TWILIGHTZONE is essential - the very first stop on the net each day.
I've worked with music for more than 50 years and discovering great new artists (or great music that is new to me) is still as thrilling as it was when I was a kid.
Thanks again for all that you do for people like me.
Jeff McKee
Richmond, Va.
Always Good to hear from you, Jeff. I appreciate the fact that you still are inspired by music after all these years. We always try to mix it up here. So even if there's something that isn't to your taste today, hopefully there will be something for you tomorrow. Thanks as always for the feedback, it's appreciated.
Tireless and indestructible, because RYP and Gyro are intelligent bloggers. Something you can't say about Dutch bloggers.
Never heard of JP Keith and you've turned me into a fan. Why have I not heard of him until now!!! Thanks Gyro1966 & RYP.
Donegal Xpress
Thanks. His parents must be Beatle fans or his name might have been Charles William Brian Michael Keith.
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