about%20-%20jpg.jpg reviews%20-%20jpg.jpg interviews%20-%20jpg.jpg gigs%20-%20jpg.jpg cd_review_keywest_ordinarysuperhero001006.jpg
KEYWEST
www.keywestofficial.com
From their busking roots on the streets of Ireland to becoming a multi-Platinum act in their home country, with CD sales apparently totalling 150,000+, there’s evidently something about Keywest. ‘Ordinary Superhero’ is touted as their debut album, which has presumably already been released in Ireland to rack up the aforementioned sales? Press blurb fails to elaborate, so I’m none the wiser, although online investigations reveal they already have three albums to their name, between 2012 and 2018. So not sure why ‘Ordinary Superhero’ is stated as being their debut in the blurb? All prior releases were exclusive to the Irish market, perhaps, and this new one is their debut peripheral to the Emerald Isle?

With the Irish quartet described as “delivering a heady blend of rock, pop and folk”, that’s precisely what the ten cuts on ‘Ordinary Superhero’ adhere to, albeit with the bias on pop rather than rock. Make no mistake, this is commercial music through and through, from the super clean production, right through to the easy listening nature of it all. There’s a bit of country thrown into the mix, too, which isn’t immediately obvious, but frontman Andrew Kavanagh has a discernible country twang in his delivery, and moments in the instrumentations also veer towards such… certain guitar parts, or rhythms, etc.

There’s no denying that Keywest can write a decent song. A very decent song, in fact; their songwriting skills are the main strength of ‘Ordinary Superhero’, all delivered via some competent musicianship. If chart-friendly, instantly catchy, unchallenging tunes, with smooth-toned, easy on the ear vocals are your kind of thing, this will fit the bill perfectly. I have to say, though, I expected something a bit rockier, what with this being released on Marshall Records. This isn’t what Marshall amplifiers and glorious 4 x 12s were made for!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Marshall Records
Album
ORDINARY SUPERHERO
cd%20reviews%20-%20jpg.jpg
Review by Mark Holmes
RUNNING TIME:
40:29
RELEASE DATE:
11th October 2019
TRACK LISTING
1) Somebody to Love
2) C'est La Vie
3) I'm Not Me Without You
4) Don't Let Me Down
5) Ordinary Superhero
6) How Did We Get Here
7) What are You Waiting For
8) Wear Your Love
9) This is Heartbreak
10) Blood, Sweat & Tears
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Ireland
"If chart-friendly, instantly catchy, unchallenging tunes, with smooth-toned, easy on the ear vocals are your kind of thing, this will fit the bill perfectly."
within%20temptation%20-%20tivoli%20april%2005%20frame%20home.jpg