Demos

The Keys - Years Are Made Of Seconds

Owain Paciuszko 02/01/2009

Rating: 4/5

Opening with a high-speed folk wig-out very much in the style of Danielson Famile the sombre, nostalgic cover of this EP is rendered ludicrously deceptive and the delightfully scattershot alternative-indie contained within all the more pleasing as a result.

From the barmy folk-jazz of A Storm Inside This Breeze to the wonky ballad The Quiet Escape, this is a record bursting with charm and wit that - even when going off the rails - retains a sense of honesty, personality and heart. This is a short, snappy and yet complete feeling nine track album; the sixth that The Keys have self-produced and features a host of Paillard's family members and friends contributing to a gloriously personal yet approachable record.

This album showcases its ring-master Boris Paillard as a formidable musical talent conjuring up an extremely accomplished album, as if Stephen Malkmus and Zach Condon were involved in some sort of 80s bodyswap movie.

With the grungey centrepiece of Mind The Gap / Heart The Gap and the howling, wail of triumphant despair that is the violin-led, funk work-out of My Pulsing Compass this album is an absolutely essential listen thanks to the lack of limitation and the wealth of invention possessed by Paillard.