Prolific singer/songwriter Keaton Simons has not only built a srong synch history with his guitar-based folk, including placements on Sons of Anarchy, NCIS, Suits and many more, but he’s toured as a guitarist with artists including Snoop Dogg, Gnarls Barkley, and, up until last year, Chris Cornell.
He’s now returned with a new EP of his own material (123 Go!, out March 9th), and a rejuvenated love of making his own music. It’s evident from the opening notes of the spirited title track, “123 Go,” a jubilant roots rocker that picks up steam and jangle as the song progresses. It’s an absolutely infectious groove that defies you not to tap your feet, clap your hands and shake blissfully at top speed.
On the opposite side of the musical spectrum, is the moody and gorgeous “The Sound Of Impatience.” The six-song collection bounds back and forth effortlessly between upbeat and melancholy, from the feel-good “Crazy in Love” to the beautiful and moving track, “Yet.”
While there were many factors that made this the right time for Simons to return back to making his own music, the opportunity to record in Nashville with producer Marshall Altman (Natasha Bedingfield, Mark Broussard) was at the top of that list.
Simons embraced every aspect of Nashville, including playing with Altman’s usual crew of Nashville studio musicians, explaining “A destination record has been a life-long fantasy of mine.”
“I don’t believe in perfection,” Simons says. “You have to replace it with acceptance. That’s something Chris [Cornell] and I had in common: Neither of us liked to over-rehearse. We wanted to preserve the raw spontaneity. That’s where some of the best stuff happens.”