NEWS JUL 03 2012
TORONTO'S KEY FRAMES HEAD EAST ON CANADIAN JULY TOUR
By Alex Hudson
Toronto roots rockers the Key Frames just dropped Low Light High Light, their second album in as many years, via their own Snarlophone Music. To support the release, the group will be hitting the road in July for a number of Canadian tour dates.
The band will be heading eastward, playing a hectic 11 shows in just nine days. At its busiest point, from July 14 to 15, they will perform four times in two days. This will be followed by a tour of Western Canada in August (that will include show in the Yukon), although those dates are not yet confirmed.
Along the way, the Key Frames will be selling Low Light High Light, which was produced by Josh Finlayson of Skydiggers and mixed by Don Pyle of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. Scroll past the tour dates to hear the countrified single "Sorted Out."
Tour dates:
7/11 Montreal, QC - Petit Campus *
7/12 Quebec City, QC - Le Fou Bar ^
7/13 Edmundston, NB - Café d'la Vieille Forge
7/14 Halifax, NS - Obsolete Records (matinee)
7/14 Halifax, NS - Rockbottom Brew Pub (evening show)
7/15 Port Elgin, NB - Centennial Park (matinee)
7/15 Charlottetown, PE - Baba's Lounge % (evening show)
7/16 Moncton, NB - Plan B Lounge
7/17 Rivière-du-loup, QC - Brasserie Lafontaine
7/18 Saint-Hyacinthe, QC - Le Zaricot
7/19 Kingston, ON - The Mansion #
* with The Jimmyriggers
^ with Rat Lemon
% with Old Stone Station
# with with Tom Savage
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SNOB’S MUSIC – “LOW LIGHT HIGH LIGHT” RATED #3 CANADIAN ALBUM OF 2012
The Key Frames: "Low Light High Light" (album review)
Rating: 8.5/10
Rarely does an album come around that's as easily enjoyable from start-to-finish as Low Light High Light, the forthcoming album from Toronto roots rock outfit The Key Frames.
From the first refrain of the soulful and melodic southern-tinged opener "Sorted Out", you know you're in for a treat. The catchy ditty "Midday Sun" and the hook-laden "The Hit Plays You" are delivered effortlessly.
Witty lyrics can be found throughout the record. While they aren't laugh-out-loud funny, songs like "Yer Spell" are clever enough to plant a grin on your face as you listen.
The band obviously have some Blue Rodeo in their record collections. "Wanna Be Rain" and "In the Mirror" are sophisticated urban country in the Blue Rodeo mold, while "Way To Love" is a country blues lament that wouldn't sound out of place on Outskirts.
The band excels the most when they pick up the banjo. The frolicking plucker "You've Been On My Mind" is a highlight, as is the instrumental banjo/harmonica hootenanny "National Keyframe Rag".
The only issue with Low Light High Light is timing. This is a perfect summer record. It seems like a waste not to have had it for those beer and barbecue long weekends. The Key Frames play an album release party at 3030 in Toronto on September 29th.
Best tracks: "You've Been On My Mind", "Sorted Out"
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TORONTO STAR – CONCERT PICKS FOR DEC. 18
The Key Frames
Banjo-and-guitar country-pop-rock (sounds complicated, but it’s not at all) from a TO quintet who hit a confident stride this past summer with the release of second LP Low Light High Light. With Sam Cash. Strummin’. The Piston, 9 p.m.
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SPILL MAGAZINE - JUNE 2012
The Key Frames
Saturday @ Annex Live, 9:20pm
Despite having to face the unfortunate consequences of a last minute sound check (apparently NXNE staff were not informed of the late addition of the Roots-Rockin’ Key Frames to Saturday’s bill), the quintet performed like veterans of the stage to kick-off Saturday night at Annex Live.
The banjo, normally a highlight of a KF performance, was barely audible after a power cord crapped out part way through the set. Still, the band managed to maintain their enthusiasm on stage, and guitarist Brian Passmore did his best not to overshadow the banjo’s understated soloing.
Treating the small but energetic Annex Live crowd to many of their newer songs (The boys have recently recorded a new album, High Light Low Light, to be released later this year), The Key Frames seem very comfortable with their material and dynamic as a group. Frontman Rob Webster’s honey-smooth voice pairs well with his style of songwriting (which sits somewhere between Blue-eyed Soul and early Beatles-pop). Banjoman Theo Edmands and Roots-driven East Coaster Ryan Higgins lead a few of their own tunes, too, and the variety makes for an entertaining and eclectic set.
The Key Frames are sure to make you feel like dancing up a storm – a feeling that a few audience members couldn’t ignore during Saturday’s show. Look forward to their summer tour stretching from coast to coast.
– Erin Klassen
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