KEEZ
Water Creatures
(self-released)

KEEZ (real name Brad Jones) is swimming true, clear and strong on Water Creatures. Playing (and singing) most of what you hear here, KEEZ has this game down from the tight snap, overly-effected high vocal of the bleak “Killed4profit,” to the reggae of “Wake Up Calm” (I love the drums here especially), and big stomp groove of “The Game,” where yet again we get another change-up of KEEZ’s vocal sound, as well as a change up in style; it’s all organ/horn/stomping/guitar “flicka”/bass funk. Lots of artists can offer up some slight change in style from song to song, but wouldn’t dare try to change up their vocal sound (as most don’t have the vocal chops to handle it). KEEZ does so with aplomb giving us a full range. Piano proves a main instrument in KEEZ’s arsenal, as much as drum machine and low key bass. I love the key tickling he manages on “Jack N Jill” so much I feel this mid-tempo tune could have even served as a piano-led instrumental, the non-lyric sections are that strong. Things get positively gospely with KEEZ’s vocal pleading on “Off Grid,” a tune that simply breathes through delicate changes. It might be the longest song here, opening up into a middle instrumental section that showcases Keez’s piano playing and tribal drumming; this is a tune that flows nowhere I expected. Things end on “Badfever” with it’s low pounding machine beat and piano up front. This Oregon pop artist puts forth a truly stellar 18-song concoction of lots of style and groove you’ll want to listen to again and again on Water Creatures.