There’s a suspicious feel to Ghostkeeper’s latest full-length. Marrying spooked out blues that would have excited Captain Beefheart with an affinity for 60’s jangle pop sounds like a match made in sonic heaven. And while Ghostkeeper does indeed work very well sonically, there’s moments of restrained way out there psychadelics that litter the record. This could mean any number of things: perhaps the collage of sounds on Ghostkeeper are the result of a diverse group of songwriters. Or perhaps Ghostkeeper have grander and way weirder aspirations. If that’s the case, these are some cats to keep your eyes on.
“By Morning” sways with an affable blues swing, complete with those aforementioned 60’s harmonies. But the track soon breaks down into a Floyd-esque bridge, and we’re left to wonder: which Ghostkeeper do we like better? The wide-open blues romp of “Like Moose Do” (Whose opening riff bears an unmistakeable likeliness to a certain blues romp about a southern U.S. city on the verge on sinking into the ocean) or the strange, goofy swirl of the countrified “Piggy Backin’?” There’s no shortage of sounds and textures on Ghostkeeper. And while it may take awhile for this Alberta-bred foursome to find their true voice, why not have an open mind and enjoy the fury and pure delight of Ghostkeeper?
By Joshua Kloke
[Rating: 3.5/5]
