Ghostkeeper : Ghostkeeper

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ghostkeeperghostkeeper.jpg" alt=" " />Ghostkeeper has unfortunately gone the affected alt-folk jam route, and while they do it better than most, it's still a real disappointment and gets old...
5.6 Flemish Eye
2010 

Ghostkeeper : Ghostkeeper When Shane Ghostkeeper & Sarah Houle came out of the cold climes of northern Alberta as Ghostkeeper, with debut Ghosts of the Northern Muskeg (QRO review), they were a fresh take on an old sound, revitalizing sixties blues-folk.  And for their self-titled follow-up?  Ghostkeeper has unfortunately gone the affected alt-folk jam route, and while they do it better than most, it’s still a real disappointment and gets old quick.

Ghostkeeper kicks off with the affected alt-folk jam of "Tea and Cree Talking", and while that piece, more reduced in instrumentation, could hold up on another record, here it’s merely an opener to affected alt-folk jam after affected alt-folk jam.  Some young artists can pull this off, like Motel Motel (QRO spotlight on) or These United States (QRO live review), and while Shane Ghostkeeper isn’t the most annoying singer in this vein, it’s still way too precious jam band.  Rapid tempo changes, jokey-twang vocals, way too much banjo?  It’s all there on still-forgettable pieces such as "By Morning", "Don’t Come Knocking", "Like Moose Do", and "Baby Girl".

There are some alterations to this weak pattern.  Most notable is when Houle steps in to co-vocal on "Haunted" and "Metis Running", giving Ghostkeeper a bit more energy.  And while the penultimate "Piggy backin’ (do cost you no money)" goes off in all directions of affected alt-folk jam, the subsequent "Spring Fever" has tempo & instrumentation changes which aren’t as annoying, and more memorable, and the preceding "Well, Well, Well" goes more electric & harder, with an actually strong chorus line.

Relatively speaking, Ghostkeeper do the affected alt-folk jam better than most, but that’s damning with faint praise, as the style is fairly annoying and far too ubiquitous.  Here’s hoping they survive the wrong turn.

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