The Key Party - Hit Or Miss

The Key Party's Darren Gaines gave me full permission to use his CD as a coaster if I found that it doesn't meet my pretentious rock snob standards. Well, he needn't worry because it looks like the beer I'll be drinking while listening to this release shall continue to make permanent circle stains on my living room table. "Hit Or Miss" is definitely a hit for me as it cranks out 15 tracks of Waits-ian lo-fi gutter rock, stripped back and fully believable. The song "Born Permanently Cool," besides having the best title ever, has a slight junkyard rockabilly feel to it. "Police KMD" contains a unique "sung through a megaphone" harmony, which makes it a delightfully disordered yelpfest. And "To Begin Again" is a moving almost-ballad with a hooky chorus and a slight grunge-style single guitar riff that ends the album off nicely. The latter song has already received a fair bit of recognition on American college radio. Throughout the CD, you'll find that Darren sings of heartbreak and unemployment with complete conviction and you'll truly believe that he has the full authority to do so. There is no posing here, no fakery. Overall, this is a very fun, yet poetic release that will surely satisfy fans of Scott McCaughey, John Prine or the aforementioned Tom Waits.

Downloads:
Born Permanently Cool mp3
To Begin Again mp3

Visit The Key Party on myspace
Purchase "Hit Or Miss" at CD Baby.com