Myra Keyes’ latest single, “Foam,” is a jolt of energy that proves rock and roll isn’t dead—it’s just been hiding in Chicago, getting smarter and more pissed off.
“Foam” is from a songwriter hitting her stride, a track born from the chaotic, beautiful mess of a college sophomore year. Keyes wrote this during those late-night sessions where you’re so busy you forget who you are, scribbling riffs between classes and finding clarity in the lonely hum of a subway car. The song sinks into the ugly, real stuff—self-sabotage, procrastination, impermanence—and doesn’t offer any cheap answers. It’s a rumination on your own wrongs, and it’s all the more powerful for it.
But a song this potent needs the right players, and Keyes assembled a lineup that would make any music nerd drool. She recorded it at a new home studio in Portland built by Scott Weddle, who also threw down on guitar and keys. The engineering was handled by Weddle and Matt Brown. Then come the heavy hitters: drums were laid down by Joe Mengis, a veteran of her last two albums, and the one-and-only Scott McPherson—the guy who’s played with Elliott Smith and Beck—who added his signature touch on two tracks. For a self-professed Elliott Smith fan like Keyes, that’s a goddamn medal of honour.
The most rock and roll thing about this track is its spirit. It was supposed to be a simple demo, part of an 18-track acoustic sketch. But the vibe was too right, the collaboration too electric, and the song too good to leave unfinished. It spontaneously evolved into a fully-fledged monster, and thank God it did.
Myra Keyes has one show lined up at Reggies in Chicago on November 6th. Do yourself a favour and be there. “Foam” shows she’s refusing to be wiped away, and we’re all just lucky to be listening.
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