Following the release of Keeper's latest single 'Rabbit Punch, we caught up with him to gain some insight into the influences that make up this eclectic sound. If you like his choices, be sure to check 'Rabbit Punch' out at the end of this article.
1. Paramore - Aint It Fun
"It has such a feel-good atmosphere about it. From the upbeat and incredibly catchy main guitar riff to the simple yet effective drum grove you got going on throughout the 3-minute 47-second song.
It’s a perfect example of why Paramore is as good as they are. Everything about this is a class act. Haley's lyrics are feel-good and emotive. To embrace the madness and difficulties, and actually make the most of it. Enjoy your time on the ride of life.
Even the music video is enticing. Everything about this song screams serotonin. Seeing how many world records you can break in a vid? Who came up with that? Such a good idea.
I love everything about this song. Typing this up made me realize how long it's been since I last heard it. I was so eager to go back a watch/listen to the whole thing another 50 times."
2. Cake Pop – Black Rum
"Another feel-good anthem. For quite a different reason.
There’s no upbeat or inspiring message like the last song. Instead, we got some childlike humour, a dose of randomness, and a synth line that instantly grabs the attention.
Music video... Amazing. That must've been the funniest thing in the world to film. I’d think I’d die filming that. Every line is iconic.
“Hella scared of bees”
“Rip scabs off my knees”
“Rotting teeth, too much candy”
Dylan Brady did an amazing job producing this. From the drums to the clap, everything is so hyper pop, and so in your face. Perfect song."
3. Joji – Slow Dancing in the Dark
"Time to flip the script now. Emotions.
This song is enchanting. No other way to put it. The simple hi-hat you got going on throughout the song. The amazing slow synth(?) melody captures the attention and never let's go, instantly transporting you to a different world. Honestly, it sounds like something from a fairy cave.
We can't forget the vocals. His performance made me cry. It's beautiful. From the quiet verses to the bellowing chorus “chant”. Nothing this song is over dong. It's all appropriately placed. Nothing is overused. And everything works so well together.
You feel every emotion, every twinge of the vocals, every slowly drawn breath. It screams pain. The lyrics are sad, sombre, and reflective. Of a dying love that one's desperately trying to hold on to, but realizing he’d never be quite good enough.
It’s a song that’s sure to make your heart explode.
Highly recommend."
4. The Beatles – Tomorrow Never Knows
"I had to do an exam about this song. I’ma be honest. I was never a big Beatles fan. I respected what they did, but I could never get into them. No matter how hard I tried. And boy did I try.
That was until I heard the Revolver album. I think this is by far their best work.
It's SO ahead of its time. Like most Beatles tracks. They did things first.
The trouble is, by now, most of what they’ve done feels like it's been done to death. And in fact, you’ve got far better versions out there now. But the revolver album. Wow. Every track is unique. Not just by 1966’s standards. But today too.
It quite literally feels like you floating “downstream” as the lyrics suggest.
The constant drone feels like the current of a river and breaks beat, the crashing rocks. It helped pioneer acid-Rock and give inspiration to the psychedelic rock bands of tomorrow. Even the story behind the album is amazing."
5. Neck Deep – Cant kick up the Roots
"Okay.
So Pop punks have been overused and overplayed.
No doubt about it. And I'm certainly not helping matters.
Neck Deep on the overhand. Helped rework all the old pop-punk songs of early 2000.
I think, although not easy core by any standards. The influence is there. The tracks were a combination of all the classic scene sounds of the early noughties. From metalcore and hardcore to pop punk and punk rock. It felt like a melting pot of all that was good with the scene.
After releasing “Life’s not out to get you”. Every single upcoming band in the scene tried copying them. But none could ever come close.
Now it's not my favourite track off the album. But it holds a special place in my heart.
It’s the first song I heard of the “new” pop-punk wave of 2015.
It’s a song that helped push me towards music. I was in the middle of my A levels when it came. It was at a pinnacle point in my life. So, between revising and homework, I’d relax by continuously watching Neck deep music videos.
The songs are about loving where you're from. Embracing the weird and wonderful quirks of your hometown. A bit different from the standard “I hate this Town”. The song's a pop-punk classic. Every instrument playing sounds amazing. It's tight and clean. The drums instantly grab your attention and the guitar keeps you hooked. The vocals, serve the song, and they supply an incredibly catchy singalong chorus, which is exactly what you want pop-punk for. The whole song screams live. You just wanna start jumping around and moshing along. I'd happily die screaming these lyrics at a gig."
Watch Keeper 'Rabbit Punch'