Deep in the town of Kenai, Alaska comes singer-songwriter Keeley Boyle who is currently working on her debut EP Inviting. The EP was born after returning to her hometown after spending several years in Portland, OR and then in Nashville, TN, where he soaked in the vibrant energy of the music scene in those respective places. Her return was marked by a winter-induced writer's block which was eventually dissolved as Keeley as she slowly entered her element and found a renewed vigour from within. Now, she sets the tone with the title track which sees her working with a handful of talented individuals ranging from her husband Nelson Kempf, who served as a recording engineer and also played electric guitar on the record to bassists Carmen Rothwell and Abbey Blackwell (Alvvays), drummer Machado Mijiga and finally Joseph Shabason (War on Drugs) on saxophone.
The result is a soul-stirring piece that explores the progression from sadness to hope akin to the summer rays melting away the winter blues. The production is rich, dynamic and layered with soft guitar licks, mellow horn passes and an overall building of textures that erupts on the emotionally punchy hook. Just as the title, Keeley's vocals are warm and inviting while her songwriting is vivid as she draws audiences in with a comforting aura and lines like “I want to soften and change / Into a body that’s everything / Something inviting" which is exactly what we need in these cloudy times.
Stream "Inviting" on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora
