The Key Of F – “Lies”
The Key Of F – “Lies” – Single Review
Harsh! Deservedly harsh that is. I dig it.
The Key Of F tap into a post-breakup vibe here with scathing & brutal honesty that I’d be willing to bet resonates with a ton of people listening out there. If you’ve ever found yourself burned by a relationship in some way, shape, or form – you’ll likely find yourself siding with the emotional powder-keg that “Lies” proudly blows up loudly, and the points that The Key Of F are making on this statement single. The resounding confidence you’ll find in the songwriting for “Lies” is the sound of someone taking their power back…and while the scenario detailed throughout the lyrics must have been a painful experience to have lived through, it’s also clear that in putting a song like this out there, that you might be able to knock the members of The Key Of F down for a moment, but they’ll rise to overcome it all.
Songwriting is probably where I’m the most impressed with the duo of Andie K (Vocals) and Marie Pettit (Guitars, Vocals) when it comes to “Lies” – they’ve definitely communicated the vibe and theme of this song in unmistakable ways. From the way it’s all entirely spelled-out in the chorus – in case anyone out there somehow missed the insights & imagery in the verses of “Lies,” to the undeniable punch in the gut that the breakdown just past the two-minute mark provide, The Key Of F have actually kinda created an anthem for the heartbroken with “Lies,” and a blueprint to bouncing back stronger than ever before.
Lyrically, I felt like I could pretty much quote this song all day long…they’ve done an exceptional job in lining this track with punishing lines that certainly express how The Key Of F is feelin’ on the subject of love…or perhaps more accurately, the dissolution of love. What was once a source of tragedy has boldly turned into triumph, just by the mere making of “Lies” alone, you can infer that whatever occurred in the experiences of the past are now verifiably essential ingredients in what fuels their fire today. Music & vocals-wise, I wouldn’t take away any points from this duo on their debut track either when it comes right down to it. Like almost every project under the sun when it comes to their earliest work, I can hear that there is still room for The Key Of F to evolve and grow as they continue on, but I’m not complaining about anything I hear on “Lies” as it stands right now; it’s a solid single and the hooks have been roaming the halls of my head for the past several days already. I was actually explaining this to my wife just the other night…that’s the advantage of what The Key Of F has created here with this cut – I listen to one hell of a lot of music day-in & day-out, but where much of it gets forgotten over time, I’ll quite likely remember this tune for a long time to come. Whether you like, love, or even hate a song in that situation is nearly irrelevant…when you’ve got hooks that hold up like they do on “Lies,” that’s always a strong positive and an indication that there’s something there you shouldn’t ignore. What I can hear for sure within this single is the desire to entertain, the courage to express their truth, the skills required to make the experience real to us listening, and a solid mix of Rock/Punk/Pop/Alternative sound that’ll all play a big role in their future and keep the people with them and on their side over the years to follow.
Where I’d advise them a little from here as they make their way forward and continue to thrive, is to be as conscious of the gripping energy they create as possibly can be; and to make sure that gets echoed within the music they make. Because here’s where I’m ultimately at personally…I appreciate the in-tune vocals and the smoothness that Andie K brings to the microphone…but I’d probably also be lying a bit by omission if I didn’t mention that I wanted a bit more of what she brings to the finale of this cut to occur a bit earlier on. Like…listen to that added punch she brings to the last surge through the hooks towards the 2:30 mark…that’s gold there, and credit to Andie K for finding that second gear. My point is simply that, when you hear The Key Of F roar into the choruses earlier on in “Lies” and the guitars from Marie come raging even closer to ya in the mix, you want the vocals to go with that energy, as opposed to maintaining the controlled demeanor displayed in the verses – that make any sense? It’ll help big-time in creating that separation between each element of the song’s writing & sound; it’ll have them standing out as they should. Because I think there’s no doubt that the killer guitars, pace, and intensity you’ll find will take listeners on the powerfully emotional ride they’ve sought to create on “Lies” – and I think when they hear that extra energy from Andie K towards the end, there might be a few people out there that would have wanted that switch to be thrown in a bit earlier on, especially when you factor in how capable she certainly is.
All this being said, it’s also important to note that, they’ve got verifiable hooks here to be found everywhere…that essential smoothness of the verse, the energy that surges through the chorus, the short but all-killer no-filler guitar-solo, big harmonies…you name it, you’ll find hooks happening all over the place and all kinds of ways to get into what The Key Of F is up to on “Lies.” So…don’t get me wrong, these are just my own opinions & insights, but I’m definitely not knocking what they’ve already accomplished here on “Lies” – considering it’s a debut, they should really get bonus points. Like I’ve said many times here on these pages of ours throughout the years, the LAST thing you should ever want as a band is to have nowhere else to go, no way to develop, no way to expand or evolve the art – the fact that there’s still room for The Key Of F to grow in this respect, is a complete positive in my mind. Bottom line is that they’ve got plenty to work with and a debut single that they should certainly be proud of. Their performances are solid & professional, the production sounds great (provided by Alexx Calise & Dennis Morehouse, members of the band Batfarm), and there’s clearly a lot of thought going into the lyricism and songwriting that point to a band that’s willing to put it ALL out there to entertain.
Essentially, what I’m saying is…if this is where The Key Of F is beginning, imagine where they’ll end up! Lots of positives to be taken out of what was once clearly a negative situation on “Lies” – Andie K and Marie sound like they’ve truly set themselves free with this debut single, and I’d be willing to bet they continue to thrive & survive as they continue to surge forward from here over these next years to come.
Find out more about The Key Of F at their official page at Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/band.thekeyof.F
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