Kitchen – Blue Heeler in Ugly Snowlight, Grey on Gray on Gray on White
Since 2016, James Keegan’s buzzing musical project, Kitchen, has steadily carved out a distinct space in Rochester with its consistent output of introspective lo-fi folk. Now, Kitchen delivers its most substantial chapter yet with the arrival of Blue Heeler in Ugly Snowlight, Grey on Gray on Gray on White, the recording project’s sixth full-length album, comfortably venturing into double album territory across 20 diverse tracks. The sprawling and remarkably cohesive collection explores the corners of Keegan’s sonic range and unique songwriting styles.
The album primarily operates within a spectrum bookended by hushed, intimate acoustic pieces and more fleshed-out, full-band indie rock arrangements. The lo-fi aesthetic, a hallmark of Kitchen’s work, remains central, lending an air of closeness and immediacy to the recordings. Whether it’s a solitary acoustic guitar and Keegan’s refreshingly unvarnished vocals or a more layered composition, the production often feels like a private performance. This intimacy gets a lot of mileage with fans of the artist, evidenced by a consistent outpouring of support on Kitchen’s bandcamp page with every release.
The quieter pole of the album is explored beautifully through several minimalist folk pieces. “Ugly Snow in Ugly Moonlight” sets a distinct tone with just acoustic guitar and vocals, carrying a quiet poetic weight reminiscent of early folk troubadours like Nick Drake. “Houses in the Clouds” and “Spare Change” are other stripped-down highlights, offering glimpses into Kitchen’s most elemental form with unabashed emotional honesty.
Elsewhere, Keegan builds more complex sonic environments. “Old Friend Old Dog” drowsily layers both acoustic and electric guitars, adding a touch of piano towards the end for a sound that echoes the strange comforts of early Alex G material. “Bike Uphill,” featuring Leaphe Ferm on drums and Sabrina Nichols on guitar, is a highlight of economical songwriting, capturing a universal feeling of displacement with lines like “I wanna be the one to live outside the world.” Even lyrically somber tracks like “Useless Heart” can feel surprisingly bright and nimble, creating a delicious tension between Kitchen’s gentler energy and darker reflections.
“Real Estate Agent” is undeniable, bursting forth as a twangy, emo-coded indie rock stunner that holds its own alongside established contemporaries like Pinegrove or Slaughter Beach Dog. The lyrical content here is some of the best on the record, particularly during the mid-song intensity dip:
“Calling disaster like sides of a quarter / unlucky enough to never get bored / there is no place of perfect connection / no light on the water sweeping the waves / no silent breeze lifts up leaves as a signal / I learn how to live as my body decays.”
Album closer “Grey on Gray on Gray on Gray on Gray on Gray” is another obvious standout, confidently settling into a relaxed, alt-country groove that feels both comforting and subtly restless, providing an inviting lived-in vibe that pairs really well with Keegan’s sincere delivery. It’s the perfect feel-good punctuation mark on an album well-explored.
Ultimately, what makes Blue Heeler in Ugly Snowlight, Grey on Gray on Gray on White so resonant isn’t just it’s ambitious length, but how seamlessly Keegan integrates its diverse parts. Throughout the 20 tracks, a distinct sensibility prevails – whether settling into hushed folk or kicking up dust on the full band compositions, it just consistently feels like Kitchen. The full album is now streaming on major platforms; physical media can be found on bandcamp.
Categorised in: Album of the Week
This post was written by Ronald Walczyk