Keo is led by brothers Finn (vocals, guitar) and Conor Keogh (bass), and is completed by drummer Oli Spackman and guitarist Jimmy Lanwern. Keo's origins can be traced back to Plymouth, Portugal, Ireland, and the United States, with the Keogh brothers spending their childhood touring much of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States with their father's traditional Irish folk project.
The four-piece, now based in London, have released their new single "Fly," which was recorded live to tape at 123 Studios in March 2024 with Brett Shaw (Foals, Florence + The Machine).
Bridging the gap between 90s grunge, shoegaze, and alternative music, the band credits Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and The Smashing Pumpkins for influencing their work, with additional modern inspiration coming from artists such as Wunderhorse and Fontaines DC.
Finn Keogh said about the song:
"Fly is about a relationship I was in as a teenager that continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth to this day. I wrote the song when I was still in the relationship at the age of 17, the lyrics “why can’t you leave this here” express my frustration with her making it difficult for me to leave, guilting me into staying. Some of the lyrics refer to trust using the analogy of it being our wings: 'It takes a while to mend your old wing and just a second to learn how it breaks'. The song also references some of the toxic habits we had and how within this toxicity was a middle ground of regret and longing for one another. 'Cry my name, I’ll call yours back' - for example. Even though the relationship was at a point where it was too far gone – I still feel the consequences of it all."
The four-piece, now based in London, have released their new single "Fly," which was recorded live to tape at 123 Studios in March 2024 with Brett Shaw (Foals, Florence + The Machine).
Bridging the gap between 90s grunge, shoegaze, and alternative music, the band credits Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and The Smashing Pumpkins for influencing their work, with additional modern inspiration coming from artists such as Wunderhorse and Fontaines DC.
Finn Keogh said about the song:
"Fly is about a relationship I was in as a teenager that continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth to this day. I wrote the song when I was still in the relationship at the age of 17, the lyrics “why can’t you leave this here” express my frustration with her making it difficult for me to leave, guilting me into staying. Some of the lyrics refer to trust using the analogy of it being our wings: 'It takes a while to mend your old wing and just a second to learn how it breaks'. The song also references some of the toxic habits we had and how within this toxicity was a middle ground of regret and longing for one another. 'Cry my name, I’ll call yours back' - for example. Even though the relationship was at a point where it was too far gone – I still feel the consequences of it all."
I love the melancholy grunge mood of the verses, becoming more and more intense until the beautiful finale. The vocals are very inspired and the overall sound is perfect for the genre. Fly is a very cool song, amazingly performed by the band. If you want to see the band live, Keo will perform at the prestigious BST Hyde Park in June alongside Kings of Leon, and is also scheduled for appearances at the Neighbourhood Festival in Manchester and the Left of the Dial Festival in Rotterdam this October.