Kelli Schaefer - Ghost of the Beast

Kelli Schaefer has been on my radar for a while now, thanks to Lukas Williams. However, like most things, I have to be reminded many times to finally get around to checking out new music. After seeing Schaefer pop-up on NPR, I decided it was finally time to pay attention and listen to more than the brief appearance of Sister K in the Columbia City Theatre advertisements.

From the start of Ghost of the Beast, percussive flourishes steal your attention, forcing you into the songs. They can be a bit discomforting, as they create scenes. In the title track, you feel dragged through the song. Being forced to be an active listener. You become the protagonist. Schaefer’s ability to cause the listener to feel this connection is unique, and something that should be (and is being) paid attention.

The production on this album is so consistent, and the songs have a beautiful flow from one to the other. This is an album. Something that I fear is becoming a lost art. I’m becoming worn out by collections of singles, and find myself so refreshed by a carefully constructed record. It is an art that not many can execute with such seeming ease. With this record it is found by way of atmospherics (i.e. the aforementioned percussion) that tie a thread. This is then amplified by impressively restrained musicianship. There is never a point where it feels that any element is superfluous, and the statements made by each instrument are that much stronger for it.

And, yet, I still haven’t even mentioned Kelli’s voice. There is a rare talent here. The ability to sound so vulnerable at times, to sound as if she’s on the verge of breaking; only to follow with an intensity that shows just how strong of a vocalist we’re dealing with. Few singers have this kind of talent. Even fewer can demand your attention this consistently regardless the tone of the song.

I had the pleasure of seeing Kelli Schaefer play the Noise for the Needy show at Conor Byrne this past Friday. It was one of those shows where you feel like you’re witnessing something. I cannot recommend enough that you take the time to listen to her. And, if you’re lucky enough, see her live.

Bellow are links to her music as well as her facebook page:
www.kellischaefer.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/iamkellischaefer