Keith Paine

superb pop. cool intro. the singer has a pro league voice. nice backing vocals too. very controlled.... very precise. nice work. at 1:30 we get a taste of trumpet. very nice. so far this entire thing is a cut above the rest. i would almost put this in the pop category or pop rock. it's too mature and well done to be reviewed by the nu-metal idiots that prowl the rock category.

great mix. great eq. this is something that needs to be on the radio like... yesterday. i'm most impressed with the performances. these guys are obviously not 25 years old. they all understand the rule of playing within your ability for the betterment of the song. kudos on that.

very enjoyable. thank you.

Reviewed by: j_sutton from Kalamazoo, Michigan - Garageband.com

Interview with Jim Wolfe

JW: How would you describe your music?

KP: Blues-based American music...My songs are usually born on the guitar. Its bluesy and its rocking but there are diverse influences and rhythms, some reggae in there as well. I work with a great band--Andy Stack, Mike Lavalle, Ray Rizzo--and I like to give them a simple, strong canvas to work with. We did the new record (Get Just What You Want) basically live—no safety net--and it was a great experience, just working off the songs and each other, getting to something real.

JW: When we listened to your CD at the paper, we heard everything from Nine Inch Nails to Donovan. Who do you consider your influences?

KP: Oh man--that’s quite a range! I actually get asked this question a lot. I listen to a wide, wide spectrum of music, from blues to classical to hip-hop, and it all influences what I do in one way or another. There are a few artists that I really love, that really cut through the static with their heart: Bob Marley, Billie Holiday, Jeff Buckley, Junior Wells, PJ Harvey. I also admire Bjork; she is completely fearless and makes music that no one else could make. A couple of current bands I'm into are the Black Keys and the Kills.

JW: Who else have you worked with?

KP: My first album was recorded by Jay Newland (Grammy winner, Norah Jones) and I really enjoyed working with him—he gets great sounds. I've recently hooked up with Jason Olaine (producer, Verve Remix records) and he's been a great friend and advisor on my current record. A while back, I got a call to make a record with a singer from Mali, Ramatou Diakite, who turns out to be a star in her country. That was a fantastic collaborative experience--I ended up co-writing two of the tracks, we had Charlie Musselwhite, the harmonica player, on a couple songs, and we had Aaron Johnston, the drummer from Brazilian Girls, in the band as well. The record got a really positive response, and we ended up performing as a band at Summerstage in Central Park in New York.

JW: What else is happening for you right now?

KP: Well, we've finished recording, so I'm looking forward to playing out a lot with the band in 09, especially festivals. We've done CMJ a couple of times, did a short string of shows in Austin, TX, played with a lot of amazing artists and its definitely time to hit the road and spread the love, so to speak. Basically, any chance I get to move people with music is a highlight for me.

JW: OK. What would be your dream gig?

KP: Good question! You mean besides touring with the Stones in ’69? I’ve always liked the concept of Lollapalooza, where very different acts from different genres do a show—I could see doing something like that. I’d love to get an international traveling circus together: Ben Harper, Brazilian Girls, MC Solaar (French rapper), the Black Keys, maybe Angelique Kidjo, my band, DJs, maybe a jazz group like the Bad Plus—that would be an experience… - Stamford Advocate

"Grit and gloss in equal measure ... serious hooks." - New York Press

"...his raw, catchy brand of post modern blues-pop and his killer voice are cutting through the static and turning heads." - Muzikreviews.com