Animal Style
Released back in April, Oak Is Keeping’s Animal Style is the debut from what could be the next big hope for Austin rock. They’ve got a great sound, well-written lyrics, and some staying power on the Austin scene.
I met drummer Mastin Kirksey a few years ago backstage at ACL (I was there for INsite and he was working with 101x). He told me about this new band he had formed. It was the same day I met Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. I mention this only because upon the first listen of this album, OiK reminded me of QOTSA.
Shay Isdale channels a deep baritone voice, much like that of Homme. Zac Bogart emits hauntingly dark tones from his guitar on each track. The back beat of Kirksey’s drums and Adam Keeling’s bass chimes in perfectly to make some beautiful music.
The epic rocker “SiNK” that leads Animal Style off with… well.. style. Songs like the Adam and Eve tinged “Tempt” and “No Kiss” and are definitely the type of stuff that will have your horns in the air contemplating a mosh pit.
They reach into their inner Stone Temple Pilots in tracks like “Burn It All Down” and “Devil In The Truth” and it’s a good thing.
“How We Treat Girls” which is a lighter jam that has somewhat of a timeless hippy rock sing-along feel to it. It kind of reminds me of some old Jellyfish-style song with a heavier twinge.
I’d have to say my favorite track on Animal Style has got to be “Tell Me These Things.” It’s a straight up rock song that has a cocky swagger. “Let me show you / how to beg and steal and cheat / What would you do? /‘Cause I get what I take and I break what I love.”
As you may have noticed in my intro, I’m expecting big things from these guys in the near future. If you’ve not heard them yet, introduce yourself to them at http://www.oakiskeeping.com/ or check them out live September 30 at Red 7.
They’ve also been tapped as one of the 5 finalists in Airwalk’s Unsigned Hero’s contest. To visit and vote go to http://www.airwalk.com/ush/#/Oak%20is%20Keeping/. You’ve got to hurry though, the deadline for voting is September 30.
