Jonathan Keefe

Single Review: Pistol Annies, "Takin’ Pills"

July 9, 2012 Jonathan Keefe 11

A standout cut from the Pistol Annies’ terrific Hell on Heels album, “Takin’ Pills” served as a thesis statement for the project, introducing each individual member of the group by her reputation and her preferred vice and giving the group’s exploits a broad narrative arc.

Single Review: Eli Young Band, “Even if It Breaks Your Heart”

January 15, 2012 Jonathan Keefe 8

While I would prefer that contemporary country artists stop looking to the pop-rock music of the mid-1980s for their primary influences, I can at least credit Eli Young Band’s relative good taste.

Single Review: Taylor Swift, “Sparks Fly”

July 12, 2011 Jonathan Keefe 22

Written by guest contributor Jonathan Keefe.

Compared to the cultural juggernaut that was Fearless, Taylor Swift’s Speak Now has underperformed at both retail and radio. The set’s fifth single, “Sparks Fly,” could turn things around for Swift, as it’s perhaps the most perfectly constructed single in a career built on tracks that are marvels of pop production and songwriting.