To call ‘Original Machines’ a solo album would be to do it an injustice. With a 24-strong tracklisting, and clocking in at just under an hour, it would be more fitting to view it as Conrad Keely’s opus. Those expecting a regurgitation of ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead’s go-to moves should step away now, as this is a standalone piece of work.
The title track proves to be a surprisingly upbeat opener, putting the listener on the back foot. But, the sense of curiosity it creates is soon sated with the candid Warm Insurrection, on which Keely confesses: “I built a wall to hide myself behind.” On Looking For Anchors he paints another vivid picture: “Drifting down streets of names you’ve never heard, written in languages you’ve never learned.”
In Words Of A Not So Famous Man and Hills Of K-Town give a knowing nod to his ...AYWKUBTOD history and are reminiscent of ‘90s prog, the good, not too self-involved kind. Inside The Cave and The Jungles, though, could not be further removed from that and it is here that we really cut our teeth on Keely’s musical evolution.
As if nine albums and 20 years racking up tour miles with ...AYWKUBTOD wasn’t enough, three years ago he moved to Cambodia, where he’s spent more time performing solo and collaborating with new musicians, playing everything from Irish folk to Cambodian psychedelic rock. These competing influences are written all over the record.
Tribal drum beats descend into fuzz-laden, writhing guitars on Inside The Cave. Nothing That I Meant (Interstellar) sounds like a piano-led experimental jazz piece until the guitar kicks in. Keely reverts back to basics on Engines In The Dark, an acoustic song layered with keys and strings. Then there’s the wildcard, Marcel Was Here, the soundtrack to an ‘80s video game’s bonus round. Luckily it’s only 34 seconds long.
The variety of Keely’s music influences has helped him to create an eclectic and cohesive body of work. He is able to foster utopian soundscapes only to go completely off kilter moments later. It is in this exciting disparity that the appeal of ‘Original Machines’ lies.
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