Music
Press
My favorite part of Keenan's music is his voice: syrupy sweet and breathless, its steadfast nature contrasts sharply with his erratic music, conjuring images of a lounge singer trapped in an opium den with only a pack of Crayola washable markers as protection. - City Pages
Keenan's rip snorting fusion of black light bedroom electronic touches with traditional singer/songwriter fare finds its closest companion on the local scene in the form of The Original Mark Edward’s solo output and All the Dark Colored Markers Went Dry is nearly the equal of the OME’s 2004 solo debut, Rewind Tomorrow, one of the best MN music releases of that year. - Reveille Magazine
Mixing nice melodies with innovative chord structures and chunky strumming patterns (that’s the best kind of strumming), Markers is a delectable treat for the spring season. But it is Keenan’s signature vocals that provide the foundation for the album, walking a tightrope between tender and powerfully-soothing. - Lunch of Champions
Discography
In early 2008, Sam Keenan released his first true "album" on Draw Fire Records. There have been many short run album releases over the years including "Electric Owl", "Back to the Road", and "After Grey."
There are many songs that have gotten college radio and net-radio play. The songs most notable in the last few years are "That Was Then", "Miracle", "United Nation", "Apart" and "Collapse in the Face of Danger."
Photos
Bio
Sam has been successfully completing songs for some time, recording and releasing many of them in a dreadfully unstructured manner over the last decade. He spends his time trying to blend the rich history of rock, hip-hop, folk and improvised music. Mostly, however, people say he just rips off Andy Partridge. Since he is an independent artist, he spends his days working for Minnesota Public Radio, and, as a recording engineer, he has worked with a long list of talented artists and groups, including Regina Spektor, Mercury Rev, Vinicius Cantuaria, Mike Doughty, M.I.A., Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Bob Mould, Ben Harper, Archer Prewitt, BR-549, Echo and the Bunnymen, Aqualung, Inara George, Michael Penn, A Whisper in the Noise, Citizen Cope, Cloud Cult, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and many more. Also, he is a co-founder of a non-profit net-radio station and local MN music supporting company called Misplaced Music, where he has served as the Program Director for the past two years.
Sam Keenan released his debut album, "All The Dark Colored Markers Went Dry" on Draw Fire Records in April of 2008.
Sam Keenan recently rolled into NYC on the Draw Fire Records bio-diesel bus for his showcase at the 2008 CMJ Music Marathon. Pictures of the adventure are posted at www.jennbarnett.com/cmj.
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