The bubbly soft-pop of Eric Anderson's new album as Cataldo, Keepers, sounds like it grew up on '80s synth-pop and Born in the U.S.A. on cassette, then went to college listening to early '00s indie-rock — Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard even sings on opener "Room Without a Flame," and the album was partially recorded at Chris Walla's studio Hall of Justice. Although Anderson's lyrics are awash with a sadness similar to that expressed in the golden age of indie-rock, it doesn't put a dent in the joy Keepers' ebullient keyboard and synth-heavy tracks engulf the listener in.
On both "Person You'd Be Proud Of" and "Your Love Has Got Me Running Home (to You)" Anderson describes being restless but then reveals he's found an anchor: "That's why you're the voice in my mind, though it's inevitably crowded," he sings on the former track. It's these personal moments that help make the record shine. Invite your crush over, thrown on the bouncy "Little Heartbeat," laugh at each other mimicking the song's sax solo and maybe you'll find your own beam of light. "A Short Goodbye to No One in Particular," on the second half of Keepers, provides perhaps the best summary of the album's charm. Amongst fluttering strings, Anderson sings of leaving the past where it belongs, "and then let go."
That's really what Keepers is about: winnowing out those you don't want in your life, and finding the keepers. It's a gem from the first half of 2017 — here's hoping more listeners unearth it.
(Independent)On both "Person You'd Be Proud Of" and "Your Love Has Got Me Running Home (to You)" Anderson describes being restless but then reveals he's found an anchor: "That's why you're the voice in my mind, though it's inevitably crowded," he sings on the former track. It's these personal moments that help make the record shine. Invite your crush over, thrown on the bouncy "Little Heartbeat," laugh at each other mimicking the song's sax solo and maybe you'll find your own beam of light. "A Short Goodbye to No One in Particular," on the second half of Keepers, provides perhaps the best summary of the album's charm. Amongst fluttering strings, Anderson sings of leaving the past where it belongs, "and then let go."
That's really what Keepers is about: winnowing out those you don't want in your life, and finding the keepers. It's a gem from the first half of 2017 — here's hoping more listeners unearth it.