Matt Dornan @ Comes with a Smile
Combining those three stalwarts of song repackaging; the compilation, the tribute album and the covers record, ‘Keepsake Volume 2’ is as far from any sketchy cash-in as you’d expect from the impeccable stable of Jeff Bell’s Keep Recordings. Lovingly assembled in every way, Bell here brings together selections united by inspired and industrious intimacy. We have Chad King’s delicate country remake of The Beach Boys’ Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Brian Michael Roff’s sober folk-tinged take on Carole King’s So Far Away, Tony Moreno’s spooky reinvention of Springsteen’s I’m On Fire (which is every bit as menacing as the original was pure), and Grumpy Bear’s similarly sinister revamp of Willie Nelson’s Always On My Mind, triumphs of the ‘make it your own’ school of thought all. Arman Melies, Charlie Parr and Dolorean turn in less adventurous but equally affecting acoustic performances of songs by Low, Dock Boggs and Kris Kristofferson respectively, whilst at the relatively rocking end of the spectrum, This Busy Monster deliver a dirty Meathook (The Cure) and Beltline and Morning Spy kick things off with covers of Portastatic (In The Manner Of Anne Frank) and Modest Mouse (Third Planet). Limited to just 100 hand-packaged copies (each in a unique fabric sleeve), this is special.



Peter Gow @ Americana UK
Valid & worthwhile compilation causes bought of head scratching for usually cynical reviewer..... There is nothing that polarises opinion amongst record buyers more than a compilation album. Except perhaps a compilation album of covers: Factor into that neither the artists, nor much of the material is particularly well known, the age old question - 'What's the point?' becomes even more valid - Well, I’m fucked if I know anymore. As compilations go, I am pretty much against them. Keepsake Volume 2 - Covers' is a collection of readings by artists on Jeff Bells Arizona based Keep Recordings and the beauty of it seems to be the contributors have been given no remit & no tangible theme. While, in the main, they tend toward the lo-fi acoustic delivery indigenous to Keeps roster, there are some quite striking departures along the way. Beltline open proceedings with a cover of a song called 'In the Manner of Anne Frank' by (unknown) band (to me) Portastatic. While the remainder drifts between the well known to the lesser, probably the most famous track, The Beach Boys 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', is tackled by Chad King who turns the ballad into a glorious folkie lament, segueing the outtro to ‘Good Vibrations’ onto the end adds nice touch. The real majesty of this collection comes in the sequencing of eight minutes of escalating, brooding menacing Charlie Parr (Doc Boggs 'Pretty Polly') back to back with the under two minute whisper of Dolorean performing (Kris Kristofferson’s) 'Help Me Make It Through the Night'. Additionally a version of CSN&Y's 'Carry On' by Jesse Thomas, pile-driving opener of Déjà Vu now sounds like a demo recorded into a Sony Walkman, lo-fi personified. The other stand out is Matt Bauer' s contribution, ' David’s Lamentation' (William Billings). Regular visitors to this site may recall Bauer's solo album Nandina being an out & out highlight of last year. Conclusively this is a record that will not necessarily draw you to the artists on show, being, as they are, performing covers. Additionally the versions here are unlikely to send you searching out the original artists & none of the money is going to chariddeee - perhaps that is why this record sits perfectly in its own little space, vying for the attention of, or in competition with no one. A compilation with no ulterior motive, it would appear. It only comes as a limited edition pressing of one hundred & fifty copies, each hand-packaged in its own floral print pocket - an enduring keepsake in every sense of the word.



Jeff Marsh @ Delusions of Adequacy
Playing cover songs is a trick affair. First, a band has to pick a cover that’s right for them. Low covering the Ramones, for example, while interesting, would not be very suitable. Then the band has to decide whether to cover the song faithfully, which often results in listeners wondering why they’re listening to a cover at all, or completely different, which may obscure the original song. Covers are usually best left for hidden tracks or live shows, but KEEP Recordings offers up 13 cover songs on its latest Keepsake compilation.

The bands were carefully picked, enough so that the music is consistent and wonderfully flowing, making this a successful compilation. All of the bands play a quiet blend of indie-pop and folk-influenced music, and the covers they chose are perfectly suited. For the most part, the bands cover the songs in their own style, a choice I wholeheartedly appreciate, and the result is almost always a good one.

There’s some interesting choices here, from Chad King’s stripped-down, lo-fi, country take on The Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t it Be Nice,” complete with pedal steel. Tony Moreno covers Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” and strips it down so that its raw lyrics are given a suitably raw musical approach that seems more suitable than the original. Grumpy Bear takes Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind” and turns it into an almost ambient track, with low-end music and hushed vocals that create a mood that’s a little soothing, a little eerie, and then picking up with a layer of distortion as the song builds. Jesse Thomas similarly lends Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Carry On” a lo-fi, distorted feel without losing the song’s great hook, just warping it a little.

Then there’s the covers of songs almost too recently released to be appropriate covers. Morning Spy do a suitably soft but still quirky cover of Modest Mouse’s “Third Planet,” and Arman Melles covers Low’s “Sunflower” in a manner that feels just like Low might have chosen. While Charlie Parr maintains Dock Boggs’ blues style on “Pretty Polly,” he packs it full of emotion and turns it into probably the album’s most amazingly rendered track.

The only fault I can find with this release is that many of the bands chose covers obscure enough that the originals are unfamiliar, at least to me. With nothing to compare these songs to, I can appreciate them but not judge them beyond the fact that they’re nice songs. Still, it shows the band’s personality, and that’s what’s important in choosing a cover. So pick this limited-release compilation up, for the lovely songs, the sweet covers, and the wonderful packaging.



Jason Jackowiak @ Splendid
As precious as it is precocious, the second volume of the Keepsake series is housed in a handmade cover that looks like your grandparents' curtains, and sounds like the best bits of your older sister's record collection. While a tidy mix of established artists (Beltline, This Busy Monster and Dolorean) and unsigned unknowns (Arman Melies, Grumpy Bear and the Softone) covering their favorite songs might not sound particularly appealing, hearing it come to life is like being part of a hushed bedroom revolution.

It should be easy to chide Morning Spy for covering Modest Mouse's "Third Planet", except that they do such a wonderful job wringing genuine sentiment out of Isaac Brock's silly, pot-induced ruminations on his childhood. Chad King's "Wouldn't It be Nice" is a liltingly beautiful creature, his mellifluous pedal-steel and wool-worn cry draped over Wilson's words and classic melodies like a trusty quilt. However, the less obvious versions really shine: Beltline's crackling, cosmic take on Portastatic's "In the Manner of Anne Frank" is a definite stunner, as is Matt Bauer's sparse, dust-encrusted reading of William Billings' "David's Lamentations".

As Keepsake Volume 2 rolls along, you'll gradually realize that it's an unusually strong compilation. Some of the song selections border on the blatantly obvious (Low and the Cure come to mind), but the whimsicality and pure bravado with which they're delivered is powerful enough to make you look the other way.



Matt Shimmer @ Indieville
Volume Two is the latest chapter in KEEP Recordings' Keepsake chronicles, a series of lovingly crafted compilations showcasing the label's premier acts. This one consists exclusively of cover songs, featuring versions of tracks by just about everyone, from The Beach Boys and Willie Nelson to indie stalwarts Modest Mouse and Low. The highlight is definitely Chad King's take on "Wouldn't It Be Nice," a low-key, folky version that's been compared to Jack Johnson by a few of my friends. There are a number of other solid tracks, including Dolorean's acoustic version of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and Grumpy Bear's strangely dark rendition of Willie Nelson's "Always on my Mind." Brian Michael Roff's "So Far Away" (Carole King) and Arman Melles' "Sunflower" (Low) are also very strong. Beltline's "In The Manner of Anne Frank" (Portastatic) and This Busy Monster's "Meathook" (The Cure) don't succeed like some of the other songs, though - coming out flat and uninspired. The good outweighs the bad on this compilation, however, and overall it's a very worthwhile record to check out. If you, like me, just love listening to bands take on songs by different musicians, pick this disc up.