by Mary Kate Crowe (@marykate_crowe)
Pat Keen’s Albatross is an eleven track album which mingles pop elements with avant-garde sensibilities. The work is unconventional yet listenable, treading the line between intimate singer-songwriter and experimental rock. Keen has logged time with Guerilla Toss and currently plays with Wei Zhongle, bringing a notable musical competency as well as personal flair. Tracks like “Worlds” and “Wannabees” incorporate shifting tempos and a vocal delivery which contrasts to the lyrics’ ominous meaning. “Suspense is killing me, over and over.” Keen sings in a gentle falsetto over a lilting riff.
The true genius in Albatross, however, lies in the surprisingly sonically cohesive meld of both acoustic and electric instruments working to complement and enhance Keen’s voice.