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“Keep Em Flying,” Branden Daniel and the Chics’ breakout album, comes on hard and fast, immersing the listener in a wave of bluesy guitar, raw vocals and strong rhythm.
The Seattle-based band’s album benefits from the addition of Aaron Schroeder on baritone guitar and Matt Winter on drums, both of whom joined the lineup after meeting Daniel during a tour.
The album opens with the hard-hitting, riff-driven “All Things Chic,” a song reminiscent of The Black Keys.
A bouncy overdriven guitar is heard throughout the song, accompanying the vocals, which bemoan the bombardment of the public by the media. The message is translated into music well with a sporadic, dissonant guitar riff and staccato lyrics.
The song sets the tone for the upbeat songs on the album, including the bluesy “Missionary,” the call-and-return “Mor Yay” and the punchy “Burns.”
The band is not afraid to leave the rabble-rousing behind, however, venturing into new territory with “Hey, Howie,” a song about lost friendship that laments with melancholic vocals and a synth-driven chorus.
Another slow song, “Not Like Anything,” was written on the fly at 2 a.m. and is the album’s most aptly named song, employing somber vocals and siren-like strings.
The band shines with “Feel Real,” the biggest song of the album. The song begins with a foreboding a cappella harmony but quickly gains momentum as other instruments join in, seeming to symbolize the erratic nature of the song’s theme, emotion.
Another highlight of the album is the soaring “Keep Em Flying,” a song about Daniel’s grandfather, a bombardier who was a POW during World War II. Daniel uses the upper half of his vocal range to sing the heartfelt lyrics, propelling the song forward with an optimistic melody and falsetto harmonies.
The album has its low points, however, and the band loses momentum in “So Alone,” because of a repetitive melody and overly simplistic rhythm section.
Despite mild shortcomings, the ‘Chics’ deliver a solid album, with powerful rock songs and soulful slow songs, earning the album 9 out of 10 stars.
