All For Me
The Kecks
Ballroom Indie is the best way of describing the latest single from cross-continental Indie Rockers, The Kecks. Pulling on the ground work of bands such as ‘The Strokes’ and ‘Franz Ferdinand’, the band then coats it with a touch of Gentlemanly crooning to a ballad for the dysfunctional. A creative choice that proves the bands confidence and skill with songwriting and experimentation, a fact that is more noticeable with each release.
Despite kicking in with a gentle run down on the drum kit, leading into a restrained clean guitar and simple bass line, the track immediately throws expectations away through its very first line. ‘….Come on get rough….’ This well timed lyric lays out the tracks for the rest of the song to rattle down, and with each line it becomes increasingly clear that this isn’t a ballad for the lovers of all things sweet and sentimental. It continues to say ‘….Take your gloves off….Punch me in the guts….’ Not typically lines that would feature alongside the gentle pace of the music.
However, once you realise that this is a ballad with realistic intentions you find yourself entranced by the gentle sway of the track and how it effortlessly blends elements of both Indie Rock and 70’s Pop Ballads normally reserved for wedding or school prom dance floors. The combination of these two elements helps to create something all together different. All the while the lyrics keep you from getting too wrapped up in the sentimental sound. ‘….Don’t let this fuck up a good thing….’ This line, and its use of ‘Fuck’ immediately brings you back with a snap, reminding you that this isn’t any type of ballad.
The song also uses great use of stops to emphasise breaks in the song, and really allows the short but punchy guitar work later in the song to stand out as pure Indie against its delicate lead in. Worth noting, is how without lead singer Lennart Uschmann’s incredible vocal delivery, this song would not be complete. With his timing, and channeling of a twisted romantic, he delivers each line with a hint of desperation and pleading that only add to the context of the song.
Overall, once again, The Kecks have used their obvious talent and songwriting determination to take something that could have been marked as a simple ballad and transformed it into a song that will hang around with you even after it has ended. So when going into this song, think more ‘Flight of the Concordes’ than ‘Flight of the Doves’, and let yourself experience a twisted romance.
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Great track, I didnt know they were based in Hamburg!