Happiness Is Hard
Self-Released, 2021
8/10
A Minneapolis singer-songwriter who’s been plugging away for a decade now, this first EP from Keith Curtis showcases his indie-folk and Americana influenced vision across 3 warm and eloquent acoustic tracks.
“Taking Off And Landing” starts the listen with flowing, warm and intricate acoustic guitar as Curtis’ poetic and expressive vocals emit much beauty in the folk influenced climate, and “Read Good Love” follows with a slower pace and more rugged singing that recruits restrained drumming, picked guitar and strategic harmonica.
“Calculate” exits the listen with aching pedal steel from Kenny Wilson in a sublime delivery of dreamy, emotive song craft that puts a firm exclamation point on the timeless and thoughtful appeal of the entire EP.
A versatile effort that touches on blues, country, indie-rock, roots and folk, Keith Curtis knows his way around a song you won’t soon forget, and let’s hope an album is on its way, cause it has the potential to be monumental.
Travels well with: Jay Stott- Wreckage Of Now; Joe Bourdet- Meadow Rock