Departure Lounge

Some musicians craft songs that are straight-ahead, no-frill, and consciously devoid of unnecessary extras. Tim Keegan & the Departure Lounge do precisely the opposite: songs are built around lush, heavily orchestrated arrangements, with deluxe instrumentation and vocals all contributing to a rich and luscious overall sound. Leading with simple acoustic guitar strumming, Keegan and his band toss in additional layers of guitar that alternately jangle merrily or wallow in desperate, lonely reverb. Meanwhile, drums keep pace without assuming center stage as a tambourine jingles and chimes. Keegan's vocals are quiet and restrained, often approaching a whisper and always containing a certain melancholic air. These songs are majestic in size without seeming overdone or suffering from overly slick production, thus proving that, in some cases, less isn't always more.