James Keen – Crossover
James Keen – Crossover – Album Review
Ayyy! At long last, we’ve got our hands on the solo album from James Keen! Dude’s been teasing this one out a piece at a time for quite some time now…in fact, the very first song on the record, “Show Me What You Got” was reviewed here on our site way back in June of last year. “We’ve been dancing around this for so long,” as he’ll sing in this opening confessional. Alright, admittedly, he was probably dancing around something else at the time, and the song itself is surely about something different than a future album that wasn’t close to finished way back then…but it makes for a fun narrative to start out this review, wouldn’t you say? “Show Me What You Got” is a quality tune that makes for a great start to Crossover – and I think it’s important to remind the youth of today that it’s these very scenarios that are the reasons WHY you wanna put out all those singles & EPs along the way…test the waters, see what works, and then when it comes time to put out a full record, you’ve got plenty of material that qualifies. Besides that…until the whole world has heard whichever song might be making a second appearance online, it’s still NEW to a TON of people out there, right? No harm, no foul as far as I’m concerned. To me, it’s smart decision making and putting your best foot forward. Read my original thoughts on “Show Me What You Got” by clicking here…without re-reading them myself, I assure ya, I stand by what I said, because I always do.
Incidentally, I also reviewed the second track called “Falling Or Flying” before the end of last year as well – and that’s another solid tune from Keen. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, I considered this track to be one of the best I’ve heard him write back when I heard it in December of last year. Does my memory still serve me correctly? That’s the real question y’all! The suspense is killing me just like I’m sure it’s killing you too. If only there was some way we could find out what I said back then by like, *cough *cough clicking here to read my previous review on “Falling Or Flying” – anyone have any ideas?
Anyhow. You get where I’m going with this so far I’m sure – Keen’s got the beginning of Crossover playing like it’s a greatest hits record, and believe me when I tell ya, that really ain’t a bad strategy! By using material from the past that was released as singles while he put this album together in the background over the last couple years, he essentially gets to hit the ground with a running start as Crossover makes its way into the world. The other nine tracks on this eleven-song record were all new to me, which started with “Yes & No” at track three. A song about communication and how we talk to each other…a song about how even the things we say still need context and understanding…he’s put a lot of thought into his lyricism here, and I love what he’s come up with. ”I wish I had a better answer & that I was a better dancer, but there we are” is a genius line outta this tune that serves as a reminder that we can only do and say what we can…and that we all probably wish we could do what we do even better than we can do it. He’s really got a lot of great lines in this song, and he’s found a stellar melody to enhance the title of this track in the main hooks as well…it’s genuinely impressive, and somewhat necessary too…when the music itself is made of fairly simple ingredients, it’s important that the rest of what we hear has the kind of attention to detail it needs, which is what you’ll find “Yes & No” has, 100%. Plus, he gives ya a great guitar solo to confirm he can go in a more complex or involved direction if that’s what he wants to do, but he plays this correctly by keeping things simple and sweet to complement the words and the theme he’s working with. “Yes & No” should have no problem winning most of you over.
Really dig the hook in “Minutes To Midnight” and once again, the songwriting overall. Keen’s really flexing the kind of caliber you’d find in the greatest of the greats, like someone along the lines of David Gray – and I gotta say, it’s workin’ for me! “Minutes To Midnight” has a real epic feeling to it…a tension that’s inherent to the storyline in the lyrics and to the way it sounds as he plays it. The solo in this song will absolutely impress ya as well, I guarantee it. All-in-all, you can feel James play “Minutes To Midnight” with a sense of purpose and real intention…sometimes you can audibly hear the confidence in an artist when they truly believe in the material, and that’s the real difference in this performance. It’s not that he’s not confident in the other tunes he plays – I’m sure that he is – all I’m saying is that sometimes you can hear it in the energy and the aura of a song, and that’s what you’ll find in “Minutes To Midnight.” It’s got more of an intense feeling to it overall I’d say, but this is a suit James wears very well, and to a degree, it’s fair to say that this particular track reveals a bit of a different side of his sound.
As far as I’m concerned, he can move the solos up! You’ll find a pattern over the course of the material in the first half, whereby James is reserving the majority of his guitar fireworks for the last minute of his tunes. Nothing wrong with the approach, but you never want listeners to really notice too much of a pattern of any kind, or have one of the best aspects of your music feel like an afterthought or something that you made space to make sure you included, you know what I mean? It’s like how musicians from the old school will tell you a song HAS to have a bridge, when the reality is, no, they don’t. Do what the song is truly calling out for…that’s it, that’s all. If it happens to include certain things, that’s fine, but you never want something feeling too much like a forced inclusion. On the bright side, James has the good fortune of having a very natural vibe in his music…so when he wants to “ruminate a while” at the end of his title track, we go along with it happily. “Crossover” is very much one of those tracks that no one would dare to turn off…it’s got a brilliantly comforting & warm sound to it, and while it might not be one of the songs in this set-list that immediately stands out in comparison to others, I think that time will go on to prove this track never gets dusty, never gets old, and never loses its sparkling appeal. It’s pretty much the audible definition of charming…and you’ll find “Crossover” has a continuously welcome sound.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice “Compromise” has an absolutely awesome recording & mix to it. While a record formed over the course of a couple years is a fairly natural process, sometimes the end results will tell a story of their own and highlight where everything became fully dialed in. The push/pull of life has been a general theme you’ll find flowing throughout much of this album, with Keen readily willing to advocate on behalf of our ability to “meet in the middle” – a key aspect of “Compromise” and our own best way forward from here too, as a society. We’ve collectively damaged our ability to “Compromise” like we used to be able to…and it seems like we’re living in a time where if we don’t get 100% of exactly what we were looking for, then we’ve somehow failed. “Compromise” doesn’t have to be so black and white, and that’s essentially what James is singing about. There can be plenty of good achieved through “Compromise,” and when it’s done correctly, it can truly be a case of ‘everybody wins.’ Maybe it’s just me getting older (hopefully wiser), but I view compromise as a real sign of respect and listening to both sides of the story these days. I’d consider this track to be one of the deeper cuts on the record, and another song that might not be one of the first people tend to notice, but it will be one of the tunes that keeps listeners coming back to Crossover throughout the years to follow…it’s cleverly conceived, with execution to match. Love the way James sings it, love the way he plays it, “Compromise” is really strong.
Hmmm…am I gonna “Get On Board” with this track? How about this…I won’t get off board, even if I’m not entirely sure I’m gonna get on – will that do? I understand the temptation to look at this song as a natural choice to be a single…and I’m not even necessarily opposed to that…but it does feel like it’s more of an attempt at updating Keen’s sound more-so than it actually is – that make sense? “Feels like I’m finally onto something” – again, I’m not saying he’s not…but I am saying that there’s still not a whole lot of difference to what I’ve been hearing in Keen’s music from way back when I first started listening to it in his band Magazine Gap years ago. Do I want to clap my hands to the beat? No! But I’m naturally resistant to these kinds of instructions…I hate being told to dance too, and I rebel against counting in songs when it happens…we all have things we don’t respond to as much as others. “Get On Board” sounds good – don’t get it twisted, don’t get me wrong – but it does feel like a fresh coat of paint on what we already know works for Keen too. “I can tell it like it is” too James! It’s what I do! I managed to make a whole career outta doin’ that in fact. I know…it sounds like I’m being harsher on this track than it probably deserves, and truthfully I probably am…for me, Keen’s most significant strengths are found in his more simple, sincere, and humble tunes…that’s the way I hear it. “Get On Board” is a little flashier, and not as humble as we know him to be when you’re listening to the lyrics…I think it’ll easily stand out to many listeners for its danceable sound…it’s a bit of a departure, but I like its upbeat vibe. I also appreciate that the audible confidence James has been playing with is fully present in this cut as well – like I’ve always told ya, do what the song is calling out for – this track needed this performance if it was going to work. Keen sounds strong on “Get On Board,” and that has its own level of appeal too.
The flashier sound continues into “Glow In The Dark” as the album starts to really lean into its Crossover style. James is approaching the light Funk realm if you’re listening to the guitar he’s layin’ down, which is an attribute of the way he plays rhythm that shows up in many tunes he’s written, but you’ll find is more pronounced here on “Glow In The Dark,” especially with the synth showing up in the mix here too. Ohhhhhhh what to say about this track James? Hmmmm… Look…I’ll say this – it’s not a bad song, and with respect to that, I really don’t think you’ll find one of those in any corner of this dude’s catalog. Is it my favorite on this record? No. Do I think it belongs in this lineup? Unsure. I think that James has found the best possible spot for “Glow In The Dark” to exist coming after “Get On Board” – but…yeah man…I would have probably been on the fence about including it at all if I’m being entirely honest with ya. Does it meet the standards set in the material we’ve heard along the way so far? Execution-wise, the answer is yes – but if we’re talking about the strength of the material, I think we’re having a bit of a different conversation. “Glow In The Dark” is well-played and it brings some unique instrumentation to this record that it didn’t have yet…and I do like that – but I don’t know if it really felt like it fit Crossover beyond having a Crossover type of sound to it…other than that, this song felt a little out of place in my opinion. I never skipped it, I still like listening to it, but I’d take the low-key charm of the title track on this album before this tune, even if I appreciate that “Glow In The Dark” gives this record a noticeable boost of energy and color. Double-edged sword I suppose…I guess that’s how I feel about its inclusion.
But c’mon y’all – if you don’t get the point I’ve been making about the last two tracks from the very first notes of “Crash-landed” as it begins, you’re reading this review sideways. I’m not even saying that this track is up there with the best on the record or saying that you should like it any better as a song overall – but I am saying that the magic we love in the sincere & humble sound of Keen’s music is right there in the spotlight as “Crash-landed” begins. This is the sound of the earnest singer/songwriter that seems to be the most natural to Keen, and personally, I feel like that’s what leads him to his most resonant songs that people will connect with. There’s a lot of heart in a track like “Crash-landed” and a potent dose of accountability, where he looks at himself clearly in the mirror and examines the person that could have been versus the person he became. It’s powerfully self-aware, and an important track in his catalog. As to whether or not it’ll be the public’s favorite…honestly I don’t know, but I don’t think it matters either. I think you write tracks like “Crash-landed” because you need to…there’s real truth in what he’s singing.
“On This Rock” is alright! This would be an example of a track that probably doesn’t push the envelope significantly in any direction, and could be too laidback for its own good, know what I mean? It’s a tough track to examine in the tenth slot out of eleven…hard to argue that it’s got too much that we haven’t heard from Keen in some ways already, hard to argue that it’s pushing the album further forward. Is it pleasant to listen to? Of course – it’s Keen! It’s actually quite sweet on a lyrical level, and I like that…it’ll appeal to many hearts and minds out there, and of course there’s value in that. You’ll get what I mean when you hear it for yourself – it’d be tough to imagine anyone jumping up and down in excitement about “On This Rock” with its low-key demeanor, but at the same time, I could understand people looking forward to hearing him play it, because it’s the kind of song that many folks listening will identify with too. There’s an inherent sweetness to it that’s built on love, and I feel like that could end up giving “On This Rock” more points for than against in the court of public opinion. Honestly, there’s something about this song that sounds like the kind of tune people fall in love to, or even get married to, and I mean…how could that be a bad thing, right? Its simplicity is its strength at the end of the day – it might have benefitted from appearing earlier on in the lineup, but I suspect most listeners will welcome it even in the late stages of Crossover. It might take a spin or two to fully appreciate the contribution that it makes to this album, but if its soothing charm can work its magic on me, it will likely on you, too. He’s essentially doing a lot with a little, which actually speaks volumes about his songwriting strengths.
Finding his way outta the David Gray-esque material & closer to something you’d find in Van Morrison’s catalog at the end with “The Ballad Of Abraham Jones,” Keen finishes off his new album with an EIGHT MINUTE song! Who is THIS guy? Eight minutes!?! I applaud the ambition, and I genuinely dig the results we hear too. Lyrically, it’s aces and among the best you’ll find on the album. Performance-wise, I don’t think there’s much more we could have asked of James in any corner of this record, and he finishes it off with the same remarkable consistency you’ll find throughout its length. Is there a way “to justify it all” when it comes to significant extra length of “The Ballad Of Abraham Jones” – or did he ramble “on and on ad naseum?” Look…people are probably going to hear this track in different ways. There’s a valid argument to be made that the gear you hear “The Ballad Of Abraham Jones” starts in is the exact one it stays in, and finishes in as well – and yes, there’s always going to be risk in going that direction. The dynamics and change-ups are sparingly & surprisingly few…but on the flipside, if you like what you hear from the get-go, James has got a whole lotta that for you in this last track. It was truly unexpected to find that a track of this magnitude remained as stoic and steady as it goes on to be, but at the same time, for an artist that prides himself on his lyricism, I think he finishes Crossover on a genuine highlight in that regard. Great imagery in this retelling of the conversation with Abraham Jones, and the details of Keen’s words are outright exceptional…he’s a natural born storyteller, and this final song really shows you that skill in full bloom. You can see this song in your mind as he sings it, and imagine what it would have been like to be a fly on the wall as they talked and drank all night long. Fictional? Most likely, but maybe not. Keen expertly blurs that line by making the recounting of this experience so real.
Overall, he’s done a great job with Crossover…there’s a lot of tracks on here that people are sure to love, tunes that have already proven to BE loved, and songs that are bound to hold up over the years to come – James Keen is an incredibly insightful songwriter that plays with admirable consistency that reflects the true dedication & commitment he brings to his craft, and likely will for decades & decades to follow.
Find out more about James Keen from his official website at: https://jameskeenmusic.com
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