Whispers of Steel Keys and Brass' debut, self-titled LP first became audible late last year, but it wasn't until this past weekend that the band finally dropped SKB, a tight, powerful collection of blues-rock. If you've seen this band live, you were just as excited for this release as I was. They've been known to play until the wee hours of the morning at various Allen St. establishments, closing down the bar, leaving nothing in their wake but cans of PBR, empty shot glasses, and a vague feeling that something special has just happened. Thankfully, their music is now available without having to jockey for position at the cozy, but infuriatingly-shaped Hardware Cafe. I'd still recommend listening with a PBR in your hands, though, because why not.
In the interest of full-disclosure, I should tell you that I know the band. They're cool dudes. But even if I hated these fuckers, I'd still have to tip my cap. I feel like most of the music that has been shoved in my face this summer has been crap, so it was with an eager hand that I popped SKB into my car, and it was with an optimistic ear that I began listening.
And it was great. Of course it was great. Steel Keys and Brass are a talented, hard-working group of people; I know this for a fact because of how often my one buddy in the band tells me he can't go out drinking because he has practice. Well it's paid off, and then some: "Boxcar," "She Don't Complain," and "Sunset Blue," the first three songs on the album, are a hell of a way to get things going. They are extremely impressive. I listened to "Sunset Blue," a song I've heard live dozens of times over the past couple of years, and was blown away by the minute-long fuzzy guitar solo midway through the song. I don't remember ever hearing it - maybe it's because half the time I listen to them I'm jockeying for position at Hardware Cafe. But now it's immortalized on SKB and officially a part of my life, which is just wonderful.
Before this starts to sound like nothing more than some cheap PR for the band, let me just remind you that it's not. When it comes to local bands we follow the old, kindergarten-taught lesson that if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all, but that doesn't mean we're gonna call a shitty band "different" or a shitty song "experimental." We don't outwardly seek silver linings just for the hell of it. Had this album sucked, I'd have lied and told them it was good and moved on with my life. But SKB is an album that needs to be heard. "Boxcar," the opening track, is as good a song as any in the genre and hand to God, I'm writing this of my own volition. It may seem like an outlandish statement, so I've posted the song below to make it as easy as possible for you to try to prove me wrong.
Other highlights of the album include the quick, playful "New Mexico, 1984," and my long-time favorite "N.D.G.H.," a heavy-hitter tucked away towards the end of the album. And you may want to grab a tissue and a close friend when you listen to Nick Kryder sing about love found and love lost on the 4th track "Chicago." SKB is a professional-sounding album by an amateur band; it manages to be heavy, funky, and sexy all at once. Check out their Facebook page to find out how to get your hands on a copy.
