TOMMY KEENETOMMY KEENE

Behind the Parade

[Second Motion]

You’d think that after 25 years of plying his trade, Tommy Keene might have run out of ideas—or worse, inspiration. After all, that’s an awfully long time to labor below the radar. But if Keene’s dismayed, there’s no evidence of it here. Behind the Parade is brimming with enthusiasm, as reflected in the earworm hooks and enticing melodies that have long since become his stock in trade. The muted trumpets on album opener “Deep Six Saturday,” the driving delivery of “Running for Your Life,” the exhilarating rush of “Factory Town” and the nagging sentiment behind the title track all offer examples of how Keene’s music effectively gets under the skin. That’s an element all his songs have in common: the knack for sounding fresh yet timeless. Keene may not have yet found the wide audience he richly deserves, but Behind the Parade finds him as welcoming to new and open ears as ever. –Lee Zimmerman

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