Review – Reg Keyworth “The Single’s”

independent EP

 

The music industry is and always has been a fickle thing! Just when you have things worked out, like some definition between and single and an EP, what a country artist is, where they’re supposed to live, what they’re supposed to look like, etc, along comes someone that turns all of that arse-about! Reg Keyworth looks for all the world like at least a surfer guy, lives in Newtown and has released an independent two-track EP entitled “The Single’s”.

 

Stylistically, Reg is as country as country gets nowadays, with the lucrative US market in his sights. Forgive Me opens the account with “the modern country rock sound of today”. Adam Brand, Keith Urban, Michael O’Rourke, Mitchell ShadlowForgive Me fits right into this mold. As the sleeve-notes suggest, the song is quite catchy. Once Again follows with a ballad about cheating, about life on the road, or is it? The other question is, what does country look like today? Look at Keith’s appearance at the Paralympics the other night – was that country? Maybe there is a new look on the horizon. Who knows? Who cares – if it sells, if it crosses over, if it gets added, it works!

Although the vocal slips (two-note yodels, if you like) during the choruses don’t work for mine, and maybe some additional backing vocals could have been added, Reg has come up with some of the best country music I have been privy to for a while. Some polish, a little post-production, and better packaging on the next outing might garner some more industry support and a little more exposure «««¾

PG (Jacky) Gleeson