Welsh-born, Scottish-bred and resident in Ireland, singer-guitarist Katell Keineg somehow reflects each of those landing points (and a few American ones besides) in her hauntingly textured, wildly emotional music. She’s a singer-songwriter by trade — Ô Seasons Ô Castles has its share of relationship-disintegration songs, including the pelting “Franklin” and the more metaphysical “The Gulf of Araby” — but she’s also a bit of a musicologist, and her interest in Irish folksong and jazz-vocal phrasing give her Fred Maher-co-produced debut album surprising depth.
Keineg was signed to Elektra after two songs (“Hestia” and “Destiny’s Darling”) circulated on the Straight Outta Ireland compilation; she chose not to re-record those tracks for Ô Seasons Ô Castles.
Her second U.S. album, Jet, is an altogether more ambitious affair, co-produced by Keineg with longtime Captain Beefheart and Ralph Records associate Eric Drew Feldman and John Holbrook. Using a large, diverse group of electric and acoustic musicians (and some uncommon instruments), the record speaks of many things. With a great, positive hook about death and surging organ, “One Hell of a Life” could almost be an American country song. But “Olé, Conquistador” has the exotic feel of a Kurt Weill cover. While “The Battle of the Trees” begins as gentle folk carrying a wispy voice, it gains dramatic power as it goes along, finally exploding into several sections of stirring symphonic rock. Throughout, Keineg’s singing is extraordinary, and the complex, challenging arrangements make Jet a serious accomplishment.