Louisville lo-fi producer, Bad Milk Dirty Peaches releases his debut album, Keesho Bird
Keesho Bird is a sensible and seductive debut album that’s both intimate and imaginative.
Produced by: Bad Milk Dirty Peaches
Independent electronic musician and producer Caleb Cook, A.K.A. Bad Milk Dirty Peaches, has released his debut album, Keesho Bird. The album is an outpouring of pent-up emotion and trapped creativity.
Created during the pandemic from mid-2020 to the end of 2021, the album was constructed in Mr. Cook’s free time. Late night sessions turned into early mornings as uncertainty crept in from all angles. While the pandemic was starting to grab hold of the nation, his hometown was going through its own tragedy, Breonna Taylor’s death. “…I began to feel even more trapped down in Florida while my city, my home was hurting and suffering. I had to watch my hometown dealing with city-wide pain through a cell phone or tv and I couldn’t be there to help or contribute to the healing process that everybody so desperately needed. That’s where this record, Keesho Bird came from, the pent-up emotion of being so far away from my home and all the while watching it suffer from afar, while also being locked down due to a pandemic.”
Tragedy aside, or maybe because of the hardship, the music of this debut project is round, rhythmic, and radiant. Mr. Cook clearly knows how to create snippets of musical delight. The beauty of the album is that someone can listen to one track at a time, together in its intended order, or back to front. The tracks hold their own any way the listener consumes it. Mr. Cook explains, “I wanted each track to be able to stand autonomously and also flow into each other seamlessly whether the record is on shuffle play or the listener is jamming it front to back.” Totaling 13 tracks in all, most hover around 2 minutes in length with the longest clocking in at 3:36.
In research for this review, one thing remained consistent throughout; Mr. Cook’s wonderful touch and ability to build the tracks up over time is unmistakable. Many of the songs start with a simple synthesizer note like on ‘Light’ or ‘Museum.’ Those singular notes build as the songs progress allowing them to transform and show more of the rhythmic nature over time. As this occurs, each song takes on a new life not heard in those initial moments. It’s these kind of moments that combine and connect the project overall allowing the album to seamlessly meander from one track to the next.
Keep an eye out for a companion ‘zine shortly following this release. It is set to include original writing and artwork related to the album.
Keesho Bird is available on most streaming services.
Standout Songs: Farewell to the Jellies at Sunset on the Beach of Aurur, Light, Museum, Keesho Bird & The Great Wind Sprit, Nuuki, Clyde & Cous Cous
6.8
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