Reed KD – In Case the Comet Comes

The new album from California’s Reed KD, In Case The Comet Comes is quite the find for those of us who like our our folk to bounce to a peppier tempo than your standard “storytelling folk” likes to typically. The album’s opening tracks, “This is It” and “If the Tide Swings” display some pretty gnarly acoustic shredding, and in turn, waste no time establishing a fun, rootsy vibe that prevails throughout the album. In fact, an aspect that jumped out at me that I seem to notice every-so-often, and really enjoy when I do catch, is that hand-claps are utilized to great effect as rhythmic tool, I know, that makes me a tad odd.  Call me crazy, but “Cactus Garden”, along with the two aforementioned tracks are great examples of  how you can punch a bit of energy into a song by employing some well-timed ”manual beats”. 

There are some numbers that are softer and indeed draw you in close to the speakers, as if you are listening to him strum and sing at a campfire, such as “Winding Roads”. The vocals of Reed KD are rather interesting as well.  Reminiscent of The Shins’ James Mercer, the harmonies of a track like “Sleepless Nights in Bed” quickly brings to mind “New Slang”, which has served as arguably The Shins signature tune over the last several years and, according to Natalie Portman, it’s the song that can change your life. Not sure if this album will change your life, but it will indeed bring a smile or two with it’s accessible blend of pop and folk.

Listen to tracks from this album on REED KD’S MYSPACE PAGE

Click HERE for a great video for “Cactus Garden”