Keyth Lawrence and the Purple Circle
Figures
© 2004 Keyth Lawrence (829757682723)
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Piano-driven art pop/rock sound, with a character-driven, storied, style of songwriting...and an emotive voice that tells it, a la Coldplay, Tori Amos, Rufus Wainwright
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** 2005 Outmusic Award Nominee **
Outstanding Debut Recording - Male
Keyth Lawrence, the powerful song force hailing from Manhattan spins his yarns through his life-long love of the piano. Keyth has been accompanied by his instrument, and talent for playing it since he was 7 years-old. "Before I could really even add numbers together, I knew I wanted to perform," says Keyth. "I had it all figured out at 6 years-old. In my head, I was destined to become a clown or a magician. A year later, the piano was rolled into the living room and the musician in my heart came alive." After a listen to his body of work, one might agree that there is still a bit of magic involved.
After gigging extensively as a solo artist in popular New York City cabaret venues such as Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex, and other intimate spaces, he logically began bringing other musicians onto the stage with him until he formed what has become Keyth Lawrence and the Purple Circle. The now 5 - member ensemble puts on high energy rock shows with tailored storytelling capabilities throughout New York City. The Purple Circle is an inclusive metaphor for the unity of the band and the unity fans have to the music they play, and to the stories Keyth shares. "The Purple Circle started as a personal and artistic sacred space. It continues to maintain that quality, but has evolved into something much bigger," says Keyth. "It is now something that expands to include the energy and experience of the audience."
Keyth's most defining artistic traits include a character-driven, storied style of songwriting, an acrobatic and emotive voice that tells it, and a classically-inspired, powerhouse style of piano playing that falls somewhere between Chopin and Jerry Lee Lewis. With a brave and dramatic style reminiscent of The Cure, Keyth also maintains a solid passion for the piano, like that of more recent artists including Rufus Wainwright and Coldplay. The instrument is what "makes the music physical, tactile, visceral- it has always saddened me that the piano has been lost over the years as the nucleus of music," Keyth says.
Candid songwriting that reveals unexpected truths- think Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bowie, Tori Amos- a fusion of prophet and bard, equal parts soul searcher and dramatic performer. With a unique vocal styling, Keyth sings against melody, beyond measure, and outside borders. Phrasing that mimics the rhythm of the human breath lends a vulnerability to the songs. Songs are rarely sung the same way twice. "Songs are like children," Keyth says. "You nurture them and they grow. They surprise you and begin to take on a life of their own." His songbook makes border raids on every conceivable emotion, soaring from a riotous rock-rolling peak to an audio adagio.
Currently promoting Figures, the 12 track musical novel that promises to be his pivotal break-through record, Keyth Lawrence and the Purple Circle have been capturing audiences at renowned New York City venues including Fez, Knitting Factory and the Cutting Room. Figures was recorded live at Chung King Studios in NYC in one 9-hour session, "so as to preserve a very specific synergy," explains Keyth. "The original intent of a record was to capture a live experience, so tracking the individual instruments was just never an option for this work."
The album, following a sold-out release concert at NYC's FEZ, zoomed to #1 on the Outvoice Top 40 Chart and was named Best Album of 2004 by The Stonewall Society. This was supported by rave reviews from publications such as Frontiers (LA), Philadelphia Gay News, PM Entertainment (NY), HX Magazine (NY), and Indie-Music.com. In addition to the overall success of the CD, the first single off the album, "Leaving," has been receiving national airplay and was recently recognized by the International Songwriting Contest. Keyth will also have the privilege of performing at the Tori Amos Tribute / RAINN Benefit in North Carolina this year for the sceond time. FIGURES was recently named one of the Best Albums of 2004 by Gaywired.com.
***** www.keythlawrence.com ********
reviews
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I LOVE IT
author: Boshy Juiceits sooo good it makes me feel warm in my hot spots, and cold in my cool spots.
2005 Outmusic Award Nominee
author: OutmusicKEYTH LAWRENCE AND THE PURPLE CIRCLE - FIGURES *** 2005 Outmusic Award Nominee for Outstanding Debut Recording - Male *** Visit www.outmusic.com for the full list of nominees
Great album by a great performer!
author: Peter SuarezThis is gonna be short and sweet...........this album is incredible! Tender moments, heart-felt vocals and beautiful piano playing! I picked the flyer for this album up in a toilet in NYC, and thank goodness I did, it is a beauty.............BUY IT!!
"Lawrence has fashioned an album that sets him apart...."
author: Frontiers Magazine (LA)By Ken Knox --- I have to admit, when I first read the press release on openly gay piano-man Keyth Lawrence and his band, the Purple Circle, I didn't have high hopes for their CD, "Figures." I envisioned a squeaky-clean, earnest pretty boy singing painfully heartfelt songs about having his heart broken, backed by melancholy piano playing. But a funny thing happened from the time I put the disc in my stereo to the time it ended: I actually enjoyed it. Perhaps because--or in spite--of my lowered expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by the bounce of the opening track, "Justice"; by the somberness of the time-goes-by lament of the title track; by the sophisticated pop of both "Weird Science" and "Spread"; by Lawrence's spirited delivery of his often-perplexing lyrics ("It figures the kitchen is cold/If staying meant blankets/'Happy Fourth of July' I think this year we've been sold" is one example of his ability to flummox with his word play); and by the production (courtesy of Jamie Siegel and Lawrence himself), which eschews schmaltz in favor of upbeat arrangements. Lawrence does occasionally dip into the well of loneliness, as on "Another Evening," but even here, he pairs his bizarre ramblings with a loungey arrangement that keeps it from becoming maudlin. While there will undoubtedly be those who remain unmoved by his skilled tickling of the ivories and his pleasant voice, Lawrence has fashioned an album that sets him apart from most of what constitutes the canon of adult-contemporary offerings. Taking Tori Amos' penchant for loopy psychological musings (the luminescent closer, "Orbital," is especially reminiscent of Amos' more emotive pieces--complete with vague religious imagery and references to David Bowie) and combining it with the hipster vibe of current VH-1 fave Jamie Cullum, Lawrence actually manages to create a quite unique--if occasionally confounding--niche all his own.
There is no hesitation in calling this album one of the best CDs by a queer arti
author: GayWired.comBy L.A. Vess --- Keyth Lawrence and the Purple Circle’s Figures album debuted at #1 on the OutVoice Top 40 Charts and received the Pride in the Arts Award for Best Album 2004 by the Stonewall Society. If that isn’t enough, this CD is just damn good, period. There is no hesitation in calling this album one of the best CDs by a queer artist in years. Figures is hypnotic, energetic and explosive. The CD is also unquestioningly unique. Think of it as a musical novel, with each new track a new chapter beautifully unwrapping a complex and engaging story line. Sound a bit weird? Maybe, but regardless, it is absolutely gorgeous.
Keyth Lawrence is becoming one of the most talked-about musicians in New York.
author: PlanetOut.comBy Jenny Stewart --- Keyth Lawrence is becoming one of the most talked-about musicians in New York. And it's no wonder: His new album "Figures" is a collection of lush, melodic piano pop songs that at times sound like they could be early demos from Coldplay's first album, "Parachutes." And it doesn't hurt that Lawrence also happens to be one of the cutest out musicians around. Like fellow RockOut emerging artist Eric Himan, the Manhattan-based Lawrence became hooked on music at a very early age. His father bought him a piano when he was 7 years old, and once he started pounding the keys, he was hooked for life. After perfecting his piano and songwriting skills, Lawrence began gigging extensively as a solo artist at various cabaret venues in the City. After hooking up with some especially talented musicians, Lawrence decided his eclectic sound could be improved with more musicians to back it up. And, voilà, Keyth Lawrence and the Purple Circle were born. Now a fixture on the indie music scene, Lawrence, with his new album and equally impressive live shows, is winning over fans and critics alike. "Anyone who has been bemoaning the lack of creativity or originality in today's pop music scene should enter the world of Keyth Lawrence," critic Jed Ryan of PM Magazine recently wrote. "Even though he's been influenced by classical music and the sounds of the '80s, there's an unmistakably futuristic and fantastic quality to Keyth's songs: His music sounds 10 years in the making." Ryan is right, and with the impressive debut of "Figures" at the number one spot on the OutVoice TOP 40 Charts, it seems like more and more people are starting to get the message.
"Lawrence has a dashing sophistication and strong appreciation for good old-fash
author: IndieMuisc.com / Jennifer Layton"Lawrence has a dashing sophistication and strong appreciation for good old-fashioned sounds made on good old-fashioned instruments." Imagine Marc Almond composing a rock opera on piano. Imagine REM's Michael Stipe with a deeper and richer voice, minus the nasal sound. Wrap those images in a warm, flowing tapestry of classical jazz pop, and you have something like a gothic-flavored Harry Connick Jr. Or, you get Keyth Lawrence and the Purple Circle, which is even better. I always swoon for lush compositions with dancing melodies, so I am wonderfully helpless over Lawrence. He has a dashing sophistication and strong appreciation for good old-fashioned sounds made on good old-fashioned instruments. And the guy can write a lyric. From "Lead Balloons": "The soldiers get used to giving beyond a vanilla edge I hold my spirit so it won't break inside this snow globe This story is going over just like lead balloons My fire decided to die before I got to you ... " Surprising, that's an uptempo track. From there, he throws in a bit of swing and Broadway on "89 of You" and a dark ominousness over "Skylar's Ride." "Weird Science" is a romp in intellectual, and often sexy, pop fun. (I love the line "I'm gonna keep the summer around because I know that the sex is in season.") Each track is divine. I also must thank Ryan Michael Kelly for such gorgeous cover photography, which does perfect justice to the music inside. Mr. Kelly, if you ever sell a poster-sized version of the back cover, the one with the glorious aurora borealis cascading over the piano, I will buy a copy for my living room.
Awesome
author: TracyThis is CD is the best I have bought yet. I can't stop listening to it!
The production is fantastic and completely vanilla smooth.
author: Smother.net (J-Sin)Keyth Lawrence plays a sick piano with an ability to conjure forth the demons and emotions that less talented pianists would struggle with. Separating the twelve tracks into the “Northern Hemisphere” and the “Southern Hemisphere” adds an element of art rock to their sound. One could easily pick out tunes that could complement a Tori Amos, Rufus Wainwright, or even Coldplay album. The production is fantastic and completely vanilla smooth. - J-Sin
In part, openly gay sinbger/songwriter Lawrence is refreshingly old-fashioned.
author: HX Magazine (AV)In part, openly gay singer/songwriter Lawrence is refreshingly old-fashioned. His songs command attention with stories about love, loss and journeying accompanied by Lawrence's emotive voice and dynamite keyboard work. Songs vary from ironic and dark cuts like ["Lead Balloons"] to uptempo tracks like "Leaving." FIGURES is high energy pop-rock throughout, which showcases why this quintet is such a hot ticket in New York clubs.
And who woulda thought....it FIGURES
author: RoxThatBloxaddictive and awesome, gentle and disturbing, meaningful yet confusing...I want everyone I know to own this album so we can talk about it together!!! Love LOVE LOVE Another Evening.......
Number One Album on Outvoice Top 40 Charts: It "Figures"
author: Daniel Jenkins, Outvoice.netKeyth Lawrence's powerful piano playing and art rock songs have the critics raving in this pre-release officially due out in June. Manhattan's Lawrence and his new group, The Purple Circle, create rich layered music carrying stories on the wind. The Purple Circle is a metaphor for the unity between the musicians and the fans who listen to their songs. "The Purple Circle started as a personal and artistic sacred space. It continues to maintain that quality, but has evolved into something much bigger," says Keyth. "It is now something that expands to include the energy and experience of the audience." "Songs are like children," he says. "You nuture them and they grow. They surprise you and begin to take on a life of their own." Lawrence's "children" soar to amazing heights and take the listener on a fantastic ride. Hop on the Purple Circle and take a few spins... your mind will thank you.
WOW, I was pleasantly surprised, Hard to believe it is his first CD
author: JackIf a couple of these songs don't become a hit I'll be very surprised. I wonder when the second CD will be released.
HOT
author: AdamUndeniably absorbing well crafted pop
MAGNIFICENT!
author: heatherWhat a sweeping soundscape of an album! My only complaint is that I wish some of the songs had more string arrangements, other than that, Magnificent debut!
Intelligent Abstract Pop
author: Kevin GriffinIm hooked.
Tickled Purple over it
author: Sasha Digslove Love LOVE the cd...Its just a whole nother evening when figures is on. Give us more stuff now!
Sparked an interest in the piano for me...
never been one to love the piano rock thing, but this album has made me want to learn lessons, who knew the piano could be such an emotional force? well, you probably all did already....anyway, this album rocks!
Next best thing to the live show!
author: IvoryI wish I could see Keyth and the band live more often, I cant wait for them to tour the U.S., you got fans down south too ya know!!!
Magical!
author: JeremyI got this cd last week and it hasnt left my player since!
Something Corporate meets Tori Amos and they beat up Rufus Wainwright??
author: SurferBoyIm listening to the cd right now as I write this and man, the sun is shining, Justice is one of those songs you blast while your driving your car and the sun is shining on your face. In contrast, Orbital is a rainy day melancholic paranoid theme.... and when I really wanna flip it out I listen to Spread. This song starts out really dark and brooding, but the last two minutes really pick up and you end up feeling inspired. This cd F**ks with you like that.
Close your eyes, take a ride....
author: Marilyn's Nine Inch NailIf it don't make sense yet, it will...This album is best experienced when you got time to close your eyes and enjoy a glass of wine (or three). When I hear the cd in full, I feel like a story is being told, but Im only now just learning what the plot is....If your not really big into lyrics, you don't have to be, the piano melodies and the drums/ percussions are sweeeeet to the ear. Ever since I got this cd I've been telling everyone to get it.
Classical and Funky at the same time...
author: Circle Of RibsI have been a fan of the likes of Tori Amos and Ben Folds Five for quite a few years now so its no surprise that I would find this cd easy to listen to. What really gets me about this is cd is that this guy is classically trained in piano yet he really knows how to rock out on Mission and Leaving. I almost cried the first time I heard Figures, especially in the part where he says "it ain't easy being easy". Get this album now you wont be disappointed! I cant wait to see this guy live in concert.
A "Figure" of a Work of Art!!!
author: Music LoverFrom the opening track Justice, My attention was immediately captured. I bought this album on a whim, after hearing much acclaim from other friends in the music biz. I cannot beleive this is a debut album! The songs are so well crafted and much unlike the crap thats on the radio these days. You have to check out Leaving, Mission, ANother Evening and Spread. In my opinion, these have pop hit written all over them. Other tracks such as Weird Science, 89 of You and Lead Balloons prove that there is no such thing as FILLER on this album. The closing song, Orbital, leaves the listener with a haunting sense of coming full circle... A full Purple Circle.