Keep You
Keep You takes much of the shouting out of Pianos Become the Teeth's music, leaving the tension in place. Kyle Durfey sings through the songs with a worn, exposed voice, while the band make their arrangements more spacious. The change asks more from the melodies and the playing. For most of the album, both are strong enough to carry it.
Ripple Water Shine sets up the new approach without turning its restraint into a simple trick. The music builds, but it does not deliver the expected rush of heavy vocals. Instead, the song finds its weight in the growing arrangement and Durfey's delivery. It makes clear that the quieter sound has its own way of reaching an emotional peak.
David Haik's drumming helps keep the record active. His fills and changes in emphasis give movement to passages where the guitars stay within a more limited range. That contrast is important: the songs can remain subdued without sounding as though the whole band are standing still. The detail in the rhythm section often makes the patient writing more engaging.
Old Jaw provides a particularly effective change in the guitar work. Its guitar bridge adds a welcome point of interest. Repine finds a darker kind of momentum, growing in intensity while keeping the vocal close enough for the strain in Durfey's voice to remain clear.
There are limits to this approach. Some guitar passages sound too alike, and the repeated move from a softer section towards a louder one becomes predictable. The consistency occasionally comes at the cost of variety.
Say Nothing gives the record a strong final release. Durfey's voice approaches a breaking point, bringing some of the band's old intensity into the cleaner setting. Keep You works because it treats restraint as something the whole group can explore. It is a thoughtful change of direction, with expressive drumming and an affecting vocal performance making up for the places where the guitars need a little more character.
