Drawn to the Flame… an excellent description of the music of Keeley. From the moment I heard their first track, The Glitter & the Glue, I have been drawn to the hypnotic quality of the indie dream pop music and specifically to the burning passion lead singer and guitarist Keeley Moss has for the subject matter of her songs.
Keeley is an extraordinary and unique recording artist in so many ways. None more so than the fact that the subject of all the songs she writes is German backpacker, Inga Maria Hauser, who was murdered on her dream trip between Scotland and Ireland in 1988, somewhere between leaving Scotland and arriving in Ireland. A murder which has never been solved, and which has clearly struck a chord with Keeley. She also writes a blog, The Keeley Chronicles, about Inga Maria and has recently appeared in a documentary about the unsolved case, Murder in the Badlands.
To date, Keeley has released two aurally arresting EPs, Brave Warrior and Echo Everywhere, with the seven new tracks of the mini album Drawn to the Flame adding to this extraordinary collection of songs, and appearing on the band’s first CD release.
Listening to these songs, you cannot fail to be intrigued by the tragic story of Inga Maria, living out her dream at the prime of her life, and of the lost hours between the last communications from her, and her body being found in North Antrim.
The album opens in reflective mood with recent single, Shadow on the Hills, with lyrics exploring what Keeley has found out about Inga Maria in the 33 years since she was killed, and musing about how their conversation might have gone if they’d met. The initial lyrics hint at what is to come at the end of the album ”Nothing mattered much, ’til you came along, nothing ever touched me’ til I heard your song”. The initial subdued and touching melody building into a rousing anthem.
With an upbeat and optimistic rhythm, Boarded Up in Belfast switches between glitching and chiming guitar parts, all atop a booming, driving rhythm section. Lyrically, the songs Keeley writes switch between the hope and joy Inga Maria was feeling on her trip, and melancholy reflecting the tragedy and cruel injustice of her death. Dead on Arrival being a case in point. The sense of melancholy doesn’t take away from the fact that this song has a gloriously rousing guitar part that positively sings.
With a melody that hints at traditional folk songs, Where the Monster Lives lamentingly takes on a double meaning, with lyrics that reflect Inga Maria’s upbeat thoughts, or possible journal entries, of hopes from moving on from Inverness “where the monster lives, I have not seen it yet” hinting at the fictional Loch Ness monster, to Ireland, the lyrics taking on a sense of foreboding at the very real monster that she ultimately crossed paths with.
Travelling in the Opposite Direction has a real dreamlike quality to it, with a sense of Galaxie 500 or the mellower end of Velvet Underground weaved through this achingly beautiful song, a vexing thought of hope in the lyrics reflecting her ultimate fate ”…won’t take me without a fight”. The sadness continues into the subtle Saw the Sea, ”beautiful mysterious” sings Keeley as she reflects on what may have been one of Inga Maria’s last sights before her untimely end., while questioning whether we will ever find out what happened in the last hours of her life.
Gift From a Ghost is a stirring and fitting climax to the album, a song of several parts with a mid section which features some sublime jangly guitar parts that echo Johnny Marr in his prime from his days with The Smiths, and an outro which soothes the soul … just as the song fades out, and you expect the album to end, you are presented with what is a touchingly beautiful tribute. A recording of Inga Maria herself singing Greensleeves. This is the only known voice recording of the young backpacker, listening to her fragile vocal when you know her sad story is ultimately a heartbreakingly difficult listen.
Once again, Keeley has excelled, creating an intensely addictive, hypnotic and deeply thought provoking listen in Drawn to the Flame. I yearn for the opportunity to see these songs played live in a venue in Glasgow. The band do have several dates coming up in Eire and London. Hopefully as the world continues to catch on to catch on to the genius of Keeley’s music, the band will spread their wings and share the love for Inga Maria far and wide.
Upcoming dates: Jun 17: London @ 229 (supporting Sea Fever)Jul 9: Cork @ Crane Lane Theatre Jul 16: Dublin @ The Thomas House Oct 8: London @ Islington O2 Academy (supporting The Darling Buds)
Keeley – Bandcamp
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