Keith Moss

Origins

Having signed to Reekus Records at the beginning of 2012, March of that year saw the release of debut single "The War Outside Our Door" described by Hot Press as "Positively dreamy…a sweet and woozy piece of alternative pop" and "A neat slice of jangly baroque pop" by alternative music magazine Noise.

March 2012 also saw the official release of the Reekus Records retrospective compilation album Too Late To Stop Now, a double-disc collection which features the otherwise-unavailable Keith Moss track "You Love Silent Films" alongside rare tracks by Microdisney, The Blades (band) and Aslan among others.

The remainder of the year saw Moss undertake extensive live and promotional appearances that included the recording of sessions for RTÉ 2fm's Dan Hegarty Show, the RTÉ Radio 1 Arena and BalconyTV, a radio broadcast and live performance in Kilkenny for Record Store Day and support slots with Sweet Jane (band) in Cork and Dublin in addition to a performance for Culture Night 2012 on RTÉ Radio 1 and in concert at the National Gallery of Ireland as well as recording the bulk of his debut album and writing a considerable amount of new material.

Live, Moss has opened for acts such as Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Incredible String Band, Briana Corrigan of The Beautiful South, The Immediate, Declan O'Rourke, Gemma Hayes, Sweet Jane, Jeffrey Lewis and Mumblin' Deaf Ro.

Torture in Paradise

In the Spring of 2013 an EP of new recordings entitled Torture in Paradise, in addition to a music video for the title track, was released through Reekus and reviewed by Hot Press who described the title track as possessing "an angular, robotic if slightly-disturbing verse with a dramatically-contrasting sweet and melodic chorus". Popular culture website Music & Everything adjudged it "A lighthearted-sounding song with a darker undertone found in the beautifully-sung lyrics" while Drip Tap Music deemed it "His most important piece of work to date...Ringing dark and suicidal Ian Curtis bells...Wonderfully-crafted and perfected".

What Eludes You Moves You

On 26 July 2013 the album What Eludes You Moves You was released by Reekus Records. In a four-star review of the album, The Mail on Sunday stated, "Keith Moss is not easily pigeonholed and the Dublin singer-songwriter comes at you from a different angle on each of the songs on his debut...When he is aided and abetted by Nanu Nanu's Marc Aubele, the sound is synth-driven and he sounds like Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan. At other times he can sound like The Blades' Paul Cleary. A compelling box of delights". In a double-page feature on the album the Daily Mirror opined, "On their brilliant debut What Eludes You Moves You, the band hurtles breathlessly through electronica, heavy rock and psychedelic pop on a deeply dark and thoughtful record. The blunt and brutal honesty of The Smiths is in fact a fairly accurate reflection of Keith Moss' own lyrical leanings. What Moves You Eludes You takes the listener down the darkened underpass of disillusion, to a lightless world filled with corrupt politicians and an apathetic public". The Daily Star described it as "a collection of lyrical genius, sweet guitar riffs, neat electronic sounds and harmonies...The tracks have a summertime feel reminiscent of a mellow Weezer crossed with The Magnetic Fields" whilst Hot Press deemed it a "Promising debut from Dublin alternative maverick...showcases a singularly intense artist – quirky and experimental but possessing a winning way with memorable melodies and some off-kilter twists and turns...The blissed-out psychedelic textures of "Under The Sun's Light" recall early Pink Floyd, The Zombies and Traffic while the acoustic "Fat Men Have To Eat" offers a commentary on corporate greed and demonstrates a satirical, Randy Newman-esque streak..."Sing To Be Saved" is more conventional and wouldn't sound out-of-place on a Depeche Mode or Tears For Fears album. A rewarding listen". Irish music blog Goldenplec concluded that "What Eludes You Moves You is almost dystopian in its views, and even the more tender asides on the album are tainted with a dark perspective, making the moments when they do break free from it all the more affecting. It's on these more low-key numbers that the album triumphs. The folky, dreamy singing and echoing whistles of "Maybe It's Me" recall Syd Barrett, in the ethereal vibe of the vocals, and even more so in the evocation of a disconnect from reality. It's an assured debut...one whose melodies supersede whatever darkness lies within the lyrics". News website The Journalist stated, "The album has a sense of space and depth, with the intricate production creating textural movement and progression. "The War Outside Our Door" delivers the album's highlight...An impressive introduction." Music blog Harmless Noise surmised, "It's not the standard fare of singer-songwriters either. Marc Aubele of Nanu Nanu produced five of the tracks to add stranger flavours to Keith's already-unusual approach to arrangements, and the result is an album that spans a variety of pop, rock and folk combinations". Music & Everything ventured, "The lack of egotism throughout the entire album is evident in each track. and music magazine It Begins Again! adjudged it "Definitely one of the best Irish releases of 2013 so far"

Summer 2013 also featured concert appearances at Nighthawks at the Guinness Storehouse as part of the Liberties Festival and two further live appearances on RTÉ Radio 1's Arena in addition to a sold-out headline concert at Whelan's in Dublin which coincided with the release of What Eludes You Moves You and airplay for the album's lead single "Torture in Paradise" on Today FM and Radio Nova.

The Tightrope Walkers

The Tightrope Walkers formed in January 2013, a band which consists of Martin Moran (Guitars), Keith Moss (Lead Vocals & Guitars), Elton Mullally (Bass & Backing Vocals) and Paul Shanahan (Drums & Backing Vocals). The band performed live from April onwards and on 29 November 2013 their single "Fat Men Have To Eat", a new recording and complete re-working of the song of the same title featured on What Eludes You Moves You, was released on Reekus Records The song was the subject of a controversial music video that featured a series of Irish politicians who had been investigated for corruption and improper conduct whilst in office such as the notorious former Taoisigh Charles Haughey and Bertie Ahern and disgraced former Teachta Dála and government minister Ray Burke.

On 8 January 2014, the band appeared at the Ones To Watch festival in Dublin and were subsequently named as one of the highlights of the four-day event by independent music blog The Journalist.ie

Musical style

One of the most notable characteristics of Moss's music is the broad spectrum of its eclecticism, encompassing indie pop, folk, shoegazing, electronica, post-punk, alternative country, psychedelia, baroque pop, rock, disco and rhythm and blues which resulted in the Daily Mirror stating in their July 2013 article regarding debut album What Eludes You Moves You and his having been compared to forty separate music artists by media sources alone, "That one artist can be concurrently compared to so many is an astonishing feat". Furthermore, US Indie music website My Old Kentucky Blog concluded that "The young Irishman seems to have a strange effect on UK critics, as I can't recall ever seeing an artist receive so many seemingly disparate comparisons" in their review of "You Love Silent Films", a track which features on the Reekus Records double-disc retrospective compilation album Too Late To Stop Now.

Album

Features the tracks "Torture in Paradise", "Burn Away Inside", "Under The Sun's Light", "Fat Men Have To Eat", "Hazy Thoughts on Foggy Walks", "The War Outside Our Door", "Maybe It's Me", "The Girl with the Wand at the End of the Pier", "Now You're Nowhere" & "Sing To Be Saved"

EP

Features the tracks "Torture in Paradise", "This Year's Thing" & "Jibrony Symphony"

Singles

Compilations

Compilation album that includes contributions from Fionn Regan, Declan O'Rourke and Duke Special among others. Features the otherwise-unavailable Keith Moss track "Did I Hear The Whistle Blow?"

Compilation EP. A four-track sampler given away free to audience members at a Dublin concert, limited to 100 copies only. Features the otherwise-unavailable Keith Moss track "The Other Side" in addition to material from three other artists.

Compilation DVD Fanzine released in a limited edition of 50 hand-numbered copies. Features impromptu live versions of early Keith Moss songs "Bush's Bitches" & "Even Have-a-Go Heroes Have To Go Sometime" as well as an interview conducted in Dublin's Smile Records on its last day before closing, in addition to material from other artists.

Compilation double album that includes contributions from Microdisney, Aslan, The Blades, Sweet Jane, Saville, Big Self and Perry Blake among others. Features the otherwise-unavailable Keith Moss track "You Love Silent Films".