PE
      ee
      ae
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ee
      '
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Vu.
      arr,
      ever
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘What’s
      wrong
      with
     
     
      Keepin’
      6?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Skeletor’s
      Picks
     
     
      By
      Brodie
      Birt
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Artist-
      Keepin’
      6
     
    

    
     
      Album
      -
      Uncensored
      (debut
     
     
      album)
     
    

    
     
      Label
      -
      Stereo
      Dynamite
      Inc.
     
     
      (www.stereodynamite.com)
     
    

    
     
      Myspace
      -
      myspace.
      eS
      eren
     
    

    
     
      Bandsite
      -
      keepin6.com
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      anxiously
      arrived
      at
      the
      Cadre
     
     
      office
      awaiting
      the
      usual
      Tuesday
     
     
      evening
      meeting
      and
      delicious
      free
     
     
      pizza
      from
      Domino’s.
     
    

    
     
      I
      greeted
      Liam,
      the
      editor,
      with
      a
     
     
      wink
      and
      a
      smile
      (Ill
      do
      anything
     
     
      for
      free
      pizza).
     
    

    
     
      “Here,”
      he
      replied,
      handing
      me
      a
     
     
      shiny
      new
      album
      complete
      with
      a
     
     
      band
      biography.
     
    

    
     
      My
      immediate
      thought
      was,
     
     
      “What
      record
      company
      is
      shoving
     
     
      this
      down
      my
      throat?”
     
    

    
     
      My
      attention
      quickly
      shifted
     
     
      towards
      pizza.
      After
      stuffing
      my
     
     
      face
      with
      cheesy,
      meat
      covered
      —
     
     
      dough,
      the
      once
      shiny
      and
      new
     
     
      album
      re-appeared
      beside
      chunks
     
     
      of
      pepperoni,
      beef,
      and
      ham.
     
    

    
     
      I
      decided
      to
      investigate
      little
      fur-
     
     
      ther.
     
    

    
     
      The
      label
      guilty
      of
      interrupting
     
     
      my
      lovely
      meal
      of
      pizza
      was
     
     
      Stereo
      Dynamite
      Records.
     
    

    
     
      Their
      weapon
      of
      choice
      was
     
     
      Keepin’
      6’s
      debut
      album
     
     
      Uncensored.
     
    

    
     
      The
      band
      consists
      of
      four
      young
     
     
      artists:
      Jason
      Wilford
      takes
      lead
     
     
      with
      his
      guitar,
      bassist
      Dan
     
     
      Renwick
      backs
      Jason
      up
      while
     
     
      Bryan
      Hotchkiss
      sings/tongue
     
     
      rolls,
      and
      Matt
      “Phatty”
      Wilkinson
     
     
      bangs
      on
      the
      drums.
     
    

    
     
      The
      album
      contains
      11
      so-called
     
     
      “ska-punk
      anthems,”
      known
      to
     
     
      most
      of
      us
      as
      “songs.”
     
    

    
     
      My
      first
      listen
      yielded
      surprising-
     
     
      ly
      optimistic
      potential.
      A
      heavy
     
     
      -
      Travis
      Barker-inspired
      drum
      roll
     
     
      segued
      into
      a
      catchy
      Sublime/Billy
     
     
      _
      Talent
      like
      verse,
      and
      I
      was
      begin-
     
     
      ning
      to
      look
      forward
      to
      what
      may
     
     
      come.
      ;
     
    

    
     
      The
      album
      continues
      with
      this
     
     
      same
      feel
      through
      the
      first
      three
     
     
      enjoyable
      tracks,
      “Illusion,”
     
     
      “Scapegoat,”
      and
      “LT
      (Stop
      Tellin’
     
     
      Me
      Lies).”
     
    

    
     
      However,
      when
      the
      fourth
      track,
     
     
      “Forget
      It,”
      hits
      your
      ears,
      nausea
     
     
      sets
      in.
      The
      album
      begins
      to
     
     
      sound
      generic
      and
      repetitive.
     
    

    
     
      The
      fifth
      track,
      “Look
      @
     
     
      Whatcha
      Got”
      has
      good
      inspiration
     
     
      behind
      it
      but
      is
      poorly
      executed.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      same
      can
      be
      said
      for
      the
      next
     
     
      song,
      “EndZone
      v.11.”
     
    

    
     
      This
      is
      when
      I
      notice
      a
      mistake.
     
     
      Grinning
      in
      astonishment
      I
      investi-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      gateed
      using
      the
      cae
      given
      as
      a
     
     
      guide.
     
    

    
     
      What
      is
      said
      to
      be
      track
      6
      is
      actu-
     
     
      ally
      track
      8,
      track
      8
      is
      track
      9,
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Wintersleep
      only
     
    
   
   
    
     
      getting
      bigger
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
       
     
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Music
     
     
      By
      Kirk
      Avery
     
    
   
   
    
     
      After
      reaching
      the
      end
      of
      the
     
     
      fourth
      track
      Weighty
      Ghost,
      from
     
     
      Wintersleep's
      new
      album,
     
     
      Welcome
      to
      the
      Night
      Sky,
      I
     
    
   
   
    
     
      thought
      to
      myself
      that
      this
      could
     
    
   
   
    
     
      very
      well
      be
      their
      best
      album...and
     
     
      this
      is
      coming
      from
      a
      guy
      who
     
     
      really
      likes
      their
      other
      albums.
      I
     
     
      puess
      the
      difference
      here
      is
      that
     
     
      their
      appeal
      was
      much
      easier
      to
     
     
      recognize
      after
      only
      one
      listen,
     
     
      because
      it
      took
      longer
      for
      their
      last
     
     
      two
      to
      grow
      on
      me.
     
    

    
     
      The
      first
      four
      tracks,
      Drunk
      on
     
     
      Aluminum,
      Archaeologist,
      Dead
     
     
      Letter
      &
      The
      Infinite
      Yes,
      and
     
     
      Weighty
      Ghost
      all
      have
      great
     
     
      pppeal
      for
      different
      reasons,
      and
     
     
      they
      really
      pull
      you
      in.
     
    

    
     
      The
      next
      track
      though,
      Murderer,
     
     
      isn't
      as
      strong
      to
      me.
      When
      you
     
     
      place
      it
      after
      such
      great
      songs,
      it
     
     
      ust
      seems
      to
      pale
      in
      comparison.
     
     
      It
      could
      begin
      to
      grow
      on
      me,
      as
     
     
      songs
      and
      albums
      often
      do,
      but
      for
     
     
      now
      it
      strikes
      me
      as
      one
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘album's
      weaker
      tracks.
      I'd
      still
     
    
   
   
    
     
      rather
      listen
      to
      a
      weak
      track
      on
      a
     
     
      preat
      album
      than,
      say,
      listen
      to
     
     
      Simple
      Plan
      at
      all
      though.
      Ugh,
      I
     
     
      feel
      terrible
      even
      mentioning
      their
     
     
      name.
     
    

    
     
      Other
      songs
      that
      may
      not
      be
      as
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      a
      lesser
      extent
      than
      Murderers,
     
     
      Laser
      Beams,
      and
      the
      final
      track,
     
     
      which
      takes
      some
      time
      to
      get
      mov-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ing.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      &
      better
      with
      third
      album
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Nova
      Scotia
      natives,
      Wintersleep,
      pose
      in
      this
      file
      photo.
     
     
      album,
      Welcome
      to
      the
      Night
      Sky
      was
      released
      Oct.
      2
      by
      Labwork
     
    
   
   
    
     
      strong
      as
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      album
      are,
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Lead
      singer
      Paul
      Murphy's
     
     
      singing
      voice
      seems
      to
      have
      really
     
     
      grown
      on
      this
      album,
      as
      you
      find
      if
     
     
      suiting
      the
      music
      really
      well
      and
     
     
      evoking
      a
      lot
      of
      emotions.
     
    

    
     
      Dead
      Letter
      seems
      to
      be
      the
      best
     
     
      example
      of
      this.
      In
      addition
      to
     
     
      finding
      the
      album
      much
      more
     
     
      accessible,
      songs
      like
      Weighty
     
     
      Ghost
      are
      much
      more
      upbeat
     
     
      which
      is
      a
      little
      different
      for
      the
     
     
      band.
     
    

    
     
      This
      was
      actually
      the
      first
      song
      I
     
     
      heard
      from
      the
      album,
      and
      thought
     
     
      to
      myself
      that
      if
      it
      was
      any
      indica-
     
     
      tion
      of
      the
      other
      songs,
      it
      would
      be
     
     
      a
      big
      departure.
     
    

    
     
      The
      overwhelming
      feeling
      I'm
     
     
      left
      with
      about
      this
      album
      is
      that
      if
     
     
      you
      weren't
      much
      of
      a
      Wintersleep
     
     
      fan
      before,
      you
      might
      be
      after:
      lis-
     
     
      tening
      to
      this,
      and
      I
      think
      the
     
     
      album
      will
      finally
      solidify
      them
      as
     
     
      one
      of
      Canada's
      premier
      rock
     
     
      bands.
      I
      see
      a
      trip
      to
      the
      Junos
      in
     
     
      their
      future.
     
    

    
     
      Strangely,
      for
      such
      a
      popular
     
     
      band
      that
      is
      from
      this
      region,
      I
     
     
      haven't
      seen
      them
      yet,
      but
      am
      told
     
     
      they
      are
      amazing
      to
      see
      live.
     
    

    
     
      They
      are
      currently
      touring
      all
     
     
      across
      Canada
      and
      will
      be
      hitting
     
     
      the
      Maritimes
      in
      late
      November.
     
     
      Unfortunately
      there
      is
      no
     
     
      Charlottetown
      date
      at
      this
      point,
     
     
      and
      that
      could
      change,
      but
      if
      it
     
     
      doesn't,
      they
      may
      just
      be
      one
      of
     
     
      those
      bands
      that
      you
      need
      to
      make
     
     
      a
      trip
      to
      see,
      before
      they're
      off
     
     
      wowing
      more
      and
      more
      crowds
     
     
      with
      their
      new
      songs.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      track
      9
      is
      where
      track
      6
      was.
     
    

    
     
      This
      awesome
      display
      of
      organi-
     
     
      zation
      and
      editing
      put
      the
      icing
      on
     
     
      my
      pizza
      (I’m
      not
      much
      of
      a
      cake
     
     
      eater).
     
    

    
     
      Anyway,
      the
      correct
      name
      of
     
     
      track
      6
      is
      “Step
      Back”
      and,
      in
     
     
      short,
      it
      sucks.
     
    

    
     
      The
      seventh
      track,
      “Handle
      It,”
     
     
      begins
      with
      a
      bright
      light
      in
      an
     
     
      otherwise
      dim
      song.
     
    

    
     
      All
      verses
      in
      the
      album
      up
      to
      this
     
     
      point,
      seem
      to
      be
      backed
      by
      the
     
     
      same
      reggae
      guitar
      riffs
      and
      no
     
     
      vocal
      diversity.
     
    

    
     
      It
      isn’t
      until
      “Endzone
      v.
      11”
      that,
     
     
      Bryan
      tests
      his
      boundaries,
      shifting
     
     
      to
      a
      softer,
      more
      emotional
      direc-
     
     
      tion.
      It’s
      not
      the
      best
      display
      of
     
     
      vocal
      range
      and
      doesn’t
      fit
      well
     
     
      with
      his
      choice
      of
      lyrics.
     
    

    
     
      The
      next
      track,
      “TFY
      634”
      is
      one
     
     
      of
      their
      more
      higher
      energy
      songs
     
     
      on
      this
      album
      and
      is
      about
      sticking
     
     
      it
      to
      the
      “pigs”
      for
      ruining
      all
      their
     
     
      fun
      times.
      Damn
      those
      pigs.
     
    

    
     
      “Breakdown”
      is
      painfully
      birthed
     
     
      into
      the
      tenth
      spot
      on
      the
      album.
     
    

    
     
      As
      it
      grows
      it
      gains
      clarity
      but
     
     
      dies
      at
      a
      early
      age
      do
      to
      lack
      of
     
     
      song
      writing
      talent.
     
    

    
     
      The
      last,
      finally-it’s-over
      track
      is
     
     
      called
      “1086.”
     
    

    
     
      Aside
      from
      having
      horrible
      lyrics,
     
     
      the
      catchy
      guitar
      riff
      verses
      and
     
     
      solid
      drumming
      choruses
      makes
     
     
      up
      for
      it.
     
    

    
     
      The
      final
      three
      songs,
      “TFY
     
     
      634,”
      “Breakdown,”
      and
      “1086”
     
     
      all
      show
      glimpses
      of
      rockin’
      guitar
     
     
      riffs
      which
      don’t
      really
      stand
      out
     
     
      unless
      you
      listen
      to
      them
      over
      and
     
     
      over.
     
    

    
     
      With
      this
      being
      said,
      they
      still
     
     
      don’t
      quite
      match
      up
      to
      the
      first
     
     
      three
      songs
      on
      the
      album
      and
      leave
     
     
      you
      with
      a
      sour
      taste
      in
      your
     
     
      mouth
      that
      screams
      mediocrity.
     
    

    
     
      The
      album
      starts
      off
      well,
      but
      is
     
     
      filled
      with
      a
      repetitive
      sound
      that
     
     
      turns
      you
      away
      from
      listening
      to
     
     
      the
      entire
      album.
     
    

    
     
      I
      give
      it
      a
      6.2
      out
      of
      10
      on
      the
     
     
      Skeletor
      Scale.
     
    

    
     
      Purchase
      this
      album
      if
      you
      are
     
     
      interested
      in
      hearing
      a
      punk
     
     
      Sublime
      sound
      or
      a
      rapping
      Billy
     
     
      Talent
      with
      downgraded
      lyrics.
     
    

    
     
      They
      can
      also
      be
      heard
      on
      their
     
     
      Myspace
      site
      if
      you
      don’t
      feel
      like
     
     
      spending
      any
      money
      at
      all.
     
    

    
     
      Keepin’
      6
     
     
      Genre:
      Punk/Ska
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Members:
     
    

    
     
      Jason
      Wilford
      -
      guitar
     
     
      Dan
      Renwick
      -
      bass
     
     
      Matt
      Wikinson
      -
      drums
     
     
      Bryan
      Hotchkiss
      -
      vocals