Keith Kenniff ~ Branches

The Keith Kenniff song I most wanted to appear on this album – “Orchestral – Goldengrove v2” – is not here; but it’s a good indication of what is.  That piece, an uplifting, chime-filled, 90-second burst of sweetness and light, is the theme song for the iPhone 4S, and apparently the only legal way to get it is to buy one.  Branches extends from those roots, but not by much.  The mood is unrelentingly upbeat, chimes abound, and the songs are short: 15 tracks in 36 minutes.  It’s no secret that Kenniff has the movie and TV bug; he advertises his licensing availability on his website, and the new disc makes a strong case to prospective employers.  As an album, it’s pleasing, but slight.  Many instrumental albums are compared to soundtracks, but this one comes across more like a series of scenes.

Many of the tracks take the form of lullabies, likely a result of having a new baby in the house.  “Evening at Eight” is perhaps purposely reminiscent of “Rock a Bye Baby”, and the title can be construed as referring to a specific bedtime.  Others (“Hood River”, “Grace”, “Symmetry”) utilize the hammer-miked piano in a manner similar to that of Hauschka.  (Kenniff also draws comparisons to Nils Frahm, but it should be the other way around, since Kenniff came first.)  Like the iPhone track, a number of songs incorporate orchestral elements; a few bring in the electronics, and a small batch combine all three, plus chimes.  I did mention chimes, didn’t I?

The end product is quite different from that of Kenniff’s last solo album, All Will Prosper, recorded as Goldmund.  Apart from the fact that All Will Prosper is a collection of Civil War songs, there’s timbre to consider.  While often gorgeous, Branches jumps between the sound of Kenniff’s various guises (Keith Kenniff, Helios, Goldmund) too often to be consistent, and playing too many miniatures in a row can feel like eating too many chocolates.  But Valentine’s Day is the proper time for confection.  Play this for a loved one, and they may want to have a baby.  (Richard Allen)

Album preview from Experimedia

iPhone 4S commercial piece (not on album)

Available here