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Album Review: The Key Frames - Out On The Point
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Album Review: The Key Frames – Out On the Point
By GDK
When this first came on I had myself a li...Album Review: The Key Frames – Out On the Point
By GDK
When this first came on I had myself a little chuckle, I couldn’t help but think alright so either I’ve heard this in a romantic comedy or I’m going to very soon. Doesn’t ‘The Divide’ sound like something you’d hear when Adam Sandler sees Drew Barrymore, for the first time, in one of those generic comedies you force yourself through on a Tuesday night with the significant other, in hopes of getting a little nookie?
Who can play a banjo that doesn’t scream “I’m frum da souf!”? Theo Edmands, joined by guitarists Rob Webster and Brian Passmore, drummer Rob Schwartz, and bassist Ryan Higgins. It seems that The Key Frames have been on a fairly successful rise since their formation in 2007. Out On the Point boasts some very catchy and melodic grassroots oriented songs. A very easy going variety and listen, this album is ideal for any task you want to do a bit of a dance too.
The production and mixing on this album is very well done. You can hear every instrument in full clarity with absolutely no bumps or pops. Even though I’m not a fan of some of the vocal harmonies they are most definitely very well done. It’s very clear that the two years of work that went into this album was well spent and not in any way wasted. The track that stood out on this album the most to me was easily ‘Can’t Kiss You Again’, a very melodic slow jam that carries an overtone of sadness.
Filled with some powerful jams and some up-lifting grooves Out On the Point holds its own even to some of the pickiest listeners. If you fancy yourself a drinking album then this is a great choice.
The Key Frames – Out On the Point drinks its way to 4 strums out of 5!
http://thekeyframes.bandcamp.com/
Posted by noisography at 8:05 AM
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The Key Frames - Out On The Point
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The Key Frames
Out on the Point
Self-Released
Anyone remember an early 90s American band called...The Key Frames
Out on the Point
Self-Released
Anyone remember an early 90s American band called Poi Dog Pondering? They played an offbeat, but playful roots rock style, with a nice beach-party edge, nearly a decade before Jack Johnson made the sound popular. Toronto quintet The Key Frames sound almost exactly like them, but The Key Frames have a banjo. Perhaps a more familiar Canadian touchstone would be Blue Rodeo's roots sensibilities crossed with Moxy Fruvous' playful nature. Either way, The Key Frames have a fresh take on roots rock that has been sorely missing lately. Most of the songs have a melancholy edge, but are lightened up by a playful turn of phrase, a upbeat fiddle lick, or an accordion. “Our Age” tackles the young feeling old and the old feeling young, “Feel Like a Fool” is a playful take on lost love. “Steal You Away” is about stealing girlfriends and features the lyric “I've seen you look my way/Don't you want a man like me?”. “The Bullet to Lay Me Down” is a fanciful look at suicide. With so many roots artists looking to the sad end of classic country and bluegrass, it's very nice to see a band like this with a lighter and more upbeat style. Very nice debut for this band.
By Steve Marlow
Sep 10, 2011
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Out on the Point - The Key Frames
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Toronto, Ontario roots rock band The Key Frames is comprised of banjo player Theo Edmands, guitarist...Toronto, Ontario roots rock band The Key Frames is comprised of banjo player Theo Edmands, guitarist Rob Webster, drummer Dan Schwartz, bass player Ryan Higgins and guitarist Brian Passmore. The band, which recently toured the Maritimes on a nine date tour promoting their latest album “Out on the Point,” is a delightful group of musicians with a unique, interesting and cheery sound that brightens up the mood of its listeners, while delivering an ear-pleasing experience.
After a successful gig at the NXNE showcase, as well as a record release launch party at the Dakota Tavern, it is no wonder this quintet is a band that everyone should keep their eyes on.
“Out on the Point,” the latest release from the band, is an incredible album of music that showcases the bands diversity and celebrates the overall depth of each band member. Every musician does their part by playing their instrument of choice, but they also send up different members of the band to grasp the microphone on lead vocals during their songs.
The album begins with “The Divide,” a song that could remind listeners of strolling Toronto’s streets during the summer, or driving in a convertible, top down, wind blowing through the hair. The song bursts with positive music and makes you want to smile while listening to every word sung.
Next up is “Steal You Away,” a more country influenced song that features exciting banjo work and a continuation of great band cohesion that stems from “The Divide.” You can tell by listening to this song that The Key Frames are all about creating happy and fun tunes that encourage listeners to sing along.
“The Ballad of Eleventh Concession” slows down the tempo of the album. The song illustrates and describes a person’s home town life and how one could possibly miss it more then you could ever imagine. The song reminded me of staring into the stars of a small town’s sky, which would never be visible during big city life.
“Feel Like a Fool” transports the album back to an uplifting style of music. The song has the vibe and feel of a rhythm and blues rock song such as “Maybelline” by Chuck Berry, with the very evident addition of a piano and banjo. You could almost swing dance to this pleasing piece created by The Key Frames.
“Can’t Kiss you Again” definitely shows that The Key Frames are admirers of country music. The song IS country in every shape and form. The song showcases the band’s diversity and ability to shift gears into a completely different style of music, as well as shift the overall tempo and feel of the album. The song adds another layer to the listening experience of The Key Frames, a pleasant change.
“Weren’t We the Ones” is a tale of a man wanting a woman who doesn’t seem to want him back. The song is about love and how your life should be filled with it. Again, The Key Frames show their diversity. The song is simple, but delivers a message which is right on the money. It features an outstanding guitar solo midway through that only adds to the overall brilliance of the tune and the album as a whole.
As the album progresses the listener stumbles upon “Our Age.” Have you ever gone out and had a night at the bar where you wake up with no money, no recollection of what happened the night before and only pictures and stories from friends to remind you that the event actually occurred? “Our Age” describes one of those nights. The song sounds like something you would hear blasting through the building of your local pub, while listeners raise their pint glasses with cheers of admiration for the band playing. The feel good tune should be played by every bar to appease their beer swilling regulars.
The album continues with “It’s the Women,” a song that describes the transition from girl to woman and all the good and bad that could come with it. Lyrics such as “When we were young we built a tower in the sky, as she grew she built a ladder with her lies” shows that just because you grow up does not necessarily mean you always mature positively with age. The Key Frames deliver a message with this song, similar to the way they did earlier in the album with “Weren’t We the Ones.” An admirable trait of the band that does not occur as often as it should in today’s age of music.
“The Bullet to Lay me Down” may not sound like the title of a cheerful tune and the lyrics that accompany the title don’t speak this way either, but the overall feel of the song is exactly the opposite. The lyrics of the song could remind you of Louis Armstrong’s “I’ll be Glad When You’re Dead You Rascal You.” The mix of the enjoyable music and the slightly disturbing lyrics could be described as confusing, but The Key Frames present the song well and pull it off.
As the album nears to a close The Key Frames really deliver a winner with “Frowntown.” Picture snapping your fingers and stompin’ your foot to an energetic and satisfying combination of great vocal work and almost “honky-tonk” instrument melody and you’ve got one of the best tunes on the album.
The Key Frames close out the album with “A Light is Gonna Shine,” a soft closer to a magnificent album of work that creates a down tempo atmosphere while still expressing love and joy for its listeners. The band describes that no matter what happens “Someday a light is gonna shine on you.” The statement is a powerful and respectable close to a body of work that breathes signs of success for this up and coming band from Toronto.
Overall, The Key Frames delivered with “Out on the Point” and should be proud of the album. If you’re a fan of a rocking good mix of roots rock and country with a bit of an old fashioned bluegrass then pick up a copy of this album at the band’s official website:
http://thekeyframes.com/fr_home.cfm
Written by: Bryan McW
Edited by: The Miz
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"Steal You Away" Live on CTV Morning Live
Original air date: Sept. 7, 2011
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"Our Age" Live on CTV Morning Live
Original air date: Aug. 30, 2011
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Key Frames offer diverse musical stylings
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Key Frames offer diverse musical stylings
Published Friday August 26th, 2011
Toronto band refuses ...Key Frames offer diverse musical stylings
Published Friday August 26th, 2011
Toronto band refuses to be tied down to one genre
by Ken Kelley
Times & Transcript Staff
With a sound that lies somewhere in the murky waters between pop and roots-rock, The Key Frames tend to embrace a diverse musical pallet, bringing that and more to their debut record, Out On The Point.
Formed in 2007 by banjo player Theo Edmunds and guitarist Rob Webster, the duo soon rounded out the group with drummer Dan Schwartz, Ryan Higgins on bass and Brian Passmore as a second guitarist.
They Key Frames will be performing at Moncton's Plan B Lounge on Monday Aug. 29, starting at 9 p.m.
The Key Frames refusal to relegate themselves to one specific genre of music is evident in listening to any of the songs contained on Out On The Point. As far as Rob Webster is concerned, it has ultimately helped create make the group all the more well rounded.
"Within my own influences I have always been a really immersive listener, so I'll just play the same five albums for months on end and start hearing things usually reserved for dogs only," he starts. "As a result of that, I end up thinking a lot about the essence or feeling behind a style or genre rather than the sort of surface conventions. If the music I have contributed to Key Frames seems to straddle a few different styles, I think it's probably because they all seem so easily connected to me when I write songs; the trick is whether other people see the connections or not, I suppose."
Bassist Ryan Higgins expands on Webster's statement saying, "I'm particularly proud of how difficult it can be to describe to people just what kind of music we play. Our influences are so many in number it means there is a real freedom within the group to play whatever comes naturally."
While song writing in The Key Frames is very much a collaborative effort between all members, playing live has been an important part of helping the group find their comfort zone.
"Playing live is where it starts and ends," Webster says. "You can practice forever and still not learn the lessons you do onstage."
"There is nothing like playing live to work out the kinks in songs," drummer Dan Schwartz says. "We have played numerous three-set nights, and even a few shows where we've played a three hour matinee followed by a four hour evening show. These are definitely the shows that have really helped tighten up our parts and gel our sound."
Despite being a relatively small fish in the pond known as the City of Toronto, the members of The Key Frames have left starry-eyed hopes of becoming rock stars behind and instead are incredibly realistic about what the future holds for them.
"In a city the size of Toronto, you have got to be so committed to what you are doing but also ready to leave your expectations of sudden, wild acclaim behind," Webster says. "It can be draining and beat on you emotionally but on the good side of things, it forces you to stand that much taller and work that much harder if you want to stay in the game. There is no room for complacency; the money is almost nonexistent and recognition can take years, if it ever comes at all. That being said, I wouldn't want my home base to be anywhere else."
* Ken Kelley is a Moncton-based writer, music fanatic and author of the entertainment blog www.musicnerd.ca.
What: The Key Frames
When: Monday Aug. 29, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Plan B Lounge, 212 St. George Street, Moncton
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Pick of the Week
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The Key Frames
OUT ON THE POINT
(Snarlophone Music)
Full of country rock twang, pop guitar jang...The Key Frames
OUT ON THE POINT
(Snarlophone Music)
Full of country rock twang, pop guitar jangle, and a fistful of indie hooks, Toronto quintet The Key Frames has a lot of bases covered on its debut CD Out On The Point.
Their sound is a familiar one, but it's delivered with energy and panache, thrusting scoopfuls of heart and unvarnished enthusiasm into each rollicking banjo lick and lyric of lost love and missed opportunities.
For a live sample, catch The Key Frames on Sunday at a live in-store appearance at Obsolete Records at 2 p.m. and later that night at Gus's Pub with Prospector's Union and David Bradshaw.
For more on the band visit thekeyframes.com.
(scooke@herald.ca)
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Time is key for The Key Frames
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Time is key for The Key Frames
The Toronto roots-rockers bring their well-honest first release *Ou...Time is key for The Key Frames
The Toronto roots-rockers bring their well-honest first release *Out On The Point* east for the first time.
by Allison Saunders
When it came to their debut album, time wasn't an issue for Toronto's The Key Frames. "We made a choice early that we wanted to be meticulous and give the songs their full due, even if it cost us more money and more time," says guitarist Rob Webster. "As up-and-comers that's not an easy call to make." Last May, nearly three years after their first sessions, Out on the Point came to fruition, showcasing 11 songs that hint at the country, blue grass and soul influences brought to the table by each of the band's five members. "We've never been hesitant to let quite different genres and styles cross-pollinate as we're putting songs together," says Webster. With the record out of the way, The Key Frames are making their first trip east and taking their Haligonian bassist Ryan Higgins home for a rest.
Sunday Aug 28, Obsolete Records, 2454 Agricola Street, 2pm and Gus' Pub, 2605 Agricola Street, 9pm, $5
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Key Frames (video interview)
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(A cool, though exceptionally hot, interview, as well as some performance footage from our greasy CD...(A cool, though exceptionally hot, interview, as well as some performance footage from our greasy CD release at the Dakota Tavern. Enjoy!)
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Review- “Out on the Point”- The Key Frames
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Posted on July 13, 2011 by glasspaperweight
reviewed by Michael
The blue sky and grey-brown la...Posted on July 13, 2011 by glasspaperweight
reviewed by Michael
The blue sky and grey-brown landscapes of Out on the Point‘s album cover suit the music of Toronto roots-rock band The Key Frames well. Their music is mostly sunny and reminds one of large open spaces.
The album is a good bit of fun, with banjos aplenty that mix with both acoustic and electric guitar, bass and drums. It’s a full-blooded roots-rock album.
The opening track “The Divide” serves a great intro to those who haven’t heard the band before, such as myself. Rather than go full-out, the song gradually adds in instruments. What begins with an acoustic guitar and group vocals (giving the beginning a Beatles-esque vibe) turns into electric guitar, bass, drums and banjo.
Once you’ve heard your first banjo on the album it won’t stick out to you for the rest of the album’s eleven songs. The banjo is therefore a very integral part of the band’s sound.
One of the album highlights is the song “Feel Like a Fool” which has an old-timey rock sound to it. It’s got keyboards, it’s got great backup vocals, it’s fun, and there are lots of hand claps. And a band can never go wrong with hand claps. Ever.
The song “Our Age” is a lot of fun, a song about “the good old days” however far behind those may be. A memorable line from the song is “I never had a camera cell phone and neither did you.”
The longest song “Can’t Kiss You Again” is a change of pace from the more up-tempo roots-rock the band plays but it’s a nice change. The song is pronouncedly slower-paced and comes across as a good old-fashioned pining song.
If I haven’t gotten the point across yet, The Key Frames play their brand of roots-rock well, and it’s all great fun to listen to. You can stream or buy the album through Bandcamp and you can find more info on the band on their website.
Top Tracks: “The Divide”; “Feel Like a Fool”; “The Bullet To Lay Me Down”
Rating: Strong Hoot (Good)
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NOW Mag NXNE 2011 Coverage
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Like the itinerant folksingers, country rulebreakers, British invaders and roots rockers from whom t...Like the itinerant folksingers, country rulebreakers, British invaders and roots rockers from whom they've drawn their inspiration the Key Frames prefer to build their music the simple way and let their hearts be the judge.
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Bending Elbows: Order a six-ounce tumbler
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... Friendly and clean and not cheap, the Eton House also fails at being divey by offering a solid b...... Friendly and clean and not cheap, the Eton House also fails at being divey by offering a solid band for a Friday night's entertainment. They are called the Key Frames, and on a stage decked with a dollar-store dose of Christmas, they harmonize a la The Beatles through a country-ish set. "It's gonna be all right this time," sings the lead singer, and he isn't lying...
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The Key Frames - Out On The Point
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Toronto-based foursome [sic] The Key Frames have filled out their debut album, Out On the Point, wit...Toronto-based foursome [sic] The Key Frames have filled out their debut album, Out On the Point, with downhome Country and Roots sounds – and for fans of the genre, it won’t disappoint. The opening cut, “The Divide,” quickly sums up what these Roots rockers are all about – tight musicianship, charming harmonies and a happy go-lucky atmosphere all set behind a classy banjo. Even seemingly less happy songs like “Can’t Kiss You Again,” or “The Bullet to Lay Me Down” are still going to induce a toe-tap and bring a smile to your face. Setting The Key Frames apart from other Toronto Roots bands is their sincere emotion and charismatic approach to their music that can be heard in “Steal You Away” and “Feel Like A Fool.”
The band’s greatest strength is their ability to seamlessly alter the pace of their record by changing the leads. The Key Frames refuse to stick with only one lead singer, nor is their patented banjo always at the forefront of their songs. The Key Frames each bring a different sensibility to the vocals, while the guitars, the banjo and strings all flow together without ever becoming overbearing.
Comparisons to other Canadian bands like Blue Rodeo and The Sadies are inevitable, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. Roots rockers will want to stash Out On the Point beside their Blue Rodeo catalogue and save it for whiskey-soaked nights. This is a talented group of musicians that are only going to get better with time. I can’t wait to see what comes next for The Key Frames.
– Joe Veroni
