Having already delivered two fine collections of pop-tinged folk in quick succession, the Jurkiewicz sisters’ third arrives in similar haste. Built on two wonderfully direct and effortlessly emotive voices, Lily & Madeleine were a striking force when they emerged in 2013. However, where that self-titled debut neatly aligned with the First Aid Kit fondness of the time and its successor ‘Fumes’ hung its hat on several standout hooks, ‘Keep It Together’ is curiously unmoving. There’s no doubting that their sound has evolved, with a more electronic tinge applied as part of consistently heftier production. However, nothing seems to lodge in the memory and everything feels a bit too mid-paced to warrant return visits.
‘Smoke Tricks’ has a spacious soundstage allowing both voices to rise to the foreground, but the melodies aren’t strong enough to make it especially noteworthy. ‘Westfield’ saunters along, following an almost apathetic electronic beat to precisely nowhere. The ingredients feel right and it surely should ascend to a stirring highpoint, but it never does. ‘Chicago’ tackles romantic endeavours in the windy city across a suitably widescreen backdrop, only for the phrase “hot and heavy” to spoil the fun a little.
The majority of ‘Keep It Together’ is a pleasant enough listen but the choruses often feel under-cooked and the scale of the production seems to have suppressed some of the majesty in the duo’s performances. Languid, almost lumbering, percussion sets the tone for too many of these songs and despite multiple listens it’s hard to find much to enthuse about. Their voices remain a delight but plenty of sifting is needed in order to unearth anything special, although it should be noted that those who persevere are rewarded in part.
The album concludes with its strongest material, demonstrating that all is far from lost. ‘Midwest Kid’ has a neat, hiccupping rhythm that morphs into a swaggering chorus, while ‘Small Talk’ is built on a riff that scratches away like the ‘90s never ended. ‘Keep It Together’ closes with ‘Nothing’, which opens with birdsong and gradually gathers momentum over five minutes. Panned, plucked acoustic guitar is slowly joined by sparse drums, muted synth lines and a distant organ. It simultaneously confirms that the duo’s sound can yet develop in a fascinating direction and hints at what the album could have been. When it’s good, it’s very, very good, but for most of the time it’s really quite bland.
5/10
Words: Gareth James
– – –
– – –
