Keith Haman – Camera
(2011, Melotone)
Keith Haman hails from Oceanside, California, but resides in New York City, where he is now releasing albums with Brooklyn label/rehearsal studio Melotone.
I’ve met Keith before, playing with the now defunct alt-country band The Hideaways. He confided in me then that he likes playing on his own, yet his music collaborations scroll to a list as long as his arm. Last month saw his first release on Melotone (titled Camera), a long EP/short LP of quiet, country-indie offerings featuring re-vamped songs from the plethora of bands he’s played in. Camera is a great entrance to anyone wishing to delve into Haman’s back catalogue, with his open lyrics and fantastic sense of melody on show for every song (available from Melotone’s bandcamp here).
I first heard this track in the driveway of a house in La Mesa, California, in 2007. The three of us (the Glocal Scene team) were hanging on to the doors of Keith’s truck as he inserted a CD-R into his player. That little anecdote has nothing to do with the brilliance of the tune, may I add. In fact, the boring preceding sentences may only heighten your appreciation, if possible, for what is a fantastic song.
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The first track on his new release is “Long Dark Road,” (previously released with The Hideaways but re-jigged for this release). The original live version, from that very day in La Mesa in 2007, is shown in video form below (aha, there is a reason for that story!). I can’t hide how much I love both versions of this song. They are just swell.
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It is good to see that Mr Haman is keeping himself busy in NYC by performing with The Emersons (who are currently celebrating the release of two alt-country tracks with Melotone) and planning a new full-length album. Although Haman excels at the acoustic side of songs, the release of Camera is serving to call time on his soft sensibilities. In Keith’s own words ‘This mostly quiet, folky release serves to clear the palette so you can be adequately amped for the RAUCOUS FURY that the new full-length will bring.”
Here is a link to a review I wrote of Keith in 2007, and a link to his debut solo album ‘Longest Way To Go’.