Every week, the Milwaukee Music Premiere sponsored by Density Studios connects the city’s artists with our listening audience. If you’re an artist with a track you’d like us to debut exclusively on Radio Milwaukee, head over to our Music Submission page to learn how.
A sinister streak runs long and wide through keegan phillips’ new track, “ponyboy.” It’s primarily sonic, although the lyrics point at a type of evil that’s much more tangible, particularly in these days we currently find ourselves in.
Keegan Phillips the person — as opposed to keegan philips the all-lowercase project name — described “ponyboy” as “a gothic-influenced track partially based on a real local legend (unnamed for privacy sake). The song also examines the fading of past counterculture leaders and folk-heroes as they age, and the hope that others will take their place to continue the push for positive change once they are gone.”
Based on the lyrics Phillips chose, I don’t like the odds of that hope becoming reality:
Cruising down old boulevards
New pavement under your feet
And long, long ago you forgot who you are
And those things you wouldn’t complete
Gasoline stained
Turning to grey
Soon you’ll see
There are no replacements
Oof. Here’s hoping those of us in the real world have better luck.
Coupled with those devastating lyrics delivered in Phillips’ understated vocal style is a sonic landscape akin to leafless branches scraping against each other over a desolate street on a windy autumn night. Painting that picture is a seemingly utilitarian setup of percussion, acoustic guitar and bass, but their subtle complexity and a sprinkling of dark guitar licks create a sense of unease that makes for a compelling listen.
This Friday is the official release date for “ponyboy,” which you can nonetheless experience right now using the player at the top of the page. You can also catch it on 88Nine throughout today (7:30 and 11:30 a.m.; 3:30 and 7:30 p.m) and look for it on keegan phillips’ debut album coming out later this year.
