Broken Promise Keeper
BIOGRAPHY
Broken Promise Keeper got his start back in the North Carolina/Athens, GA "janglepop" scene of the mid 1980s, what is now recognized as a golden age of Southern powerpop.
He played bass, guitar and sang in One Plus Two, a Chapel Hill combo that opened for many famous acts of the day like the Replacements, the Hoodoo Gurus, Alex Chilton (Big Star), Chris Stamey (dBs), Buzz of Delight (Matthew Sweet), Richard Lloyd (Television), Husker Du, Rain Parade, the Three O'Clock, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. One Plus Two got enough attention to get signed to Homestead records and record two albums, garnering favorable reviews and rising fairly high in the college radio charts. The band toured the Southeast, playing legendary clubs such as the Cat's Cradle (Chapel Hill), the 40 Watt (Athens), 688 Club (Atlanta), the Milestone (Charlotte), Ziggy's (Winston-Salem), and lots of less famous but equally fun places. At the peak of their popularity, One Plus Two was showcased on MTV's "The Cutting Edge" show. 30+ seconds of fame, whoo hoo!
But 20 years later, BPK has a job, a wife and two young sons, and has given up the dreams of being a rock star. Or has he? The world needs fat, bald rock stars! Probably not, so the RPM Challenge serves to inspire BPK each February.
The music is unabashedly pop, in that it's full of catchy, hook-filled melodies and vocal harmonies. But there's plenty of rockin' power in the driving guitars, chugging bass lines, and pounding drums. BPK's ultimate goal is to write that sublimely perfect powerpop song - a candy-coated sonic grenade that will make you turn it up and sing along; a song that will rot your teeth while you tap your feet. He hasn't done it yet, but he's getting closer...
BAND MEMBERS
Broken Promise Keeper is a one-man studio band based in Decatur, Georgia, the coolest part of metro Atlanta. He plays all the instruments on his albums, but occasionally gets help from friends, family, and the RPM gang.
YEARS COMPLETED
2007,2008,2009
GENRES
Rock
OTHER BAND SITES
http://www.brokenpromisekeeper.com/
Completed Albums
Songs of Hypocrisy and Hippos(2007)
BPK's debut album features that classic powerpop sound - clean, jangling guitars, chugging bass lines, driving drumbeats, and melodic solos combined with catchy songcraft featuring clever lyrics and vocal harmonies. While the production may be a little rough compared to BPK's later albums, there are some great riffs and melodies here!
The Avocado Age of Radio(2008)
Evoking classic tunes from 1970s AM radio, BPK's sophomore album "The Avocado Age of Radio" earned some praise from fellow RPMers, who said it has "more hooks than my grandpappy's tackle box" and "the album whizzes by with one pop gem after another"
Ice Cold Pop(2009)
"Ice Cold Pop" is the latest offering from Broken Promise Keeper, recorded during the month of February 2009. It features 12 short-but-sweet songs, most of the rockin' variety, but a little slower at the very end. The album's songs cross-fade or jump quickly from one to another to create a cohesive whole. Here's what folks say about the album:
- Ranked #4 in a national Top Ten list of 2009 powerpop albums, with nationally-syndicated blogger Mike Baron describing it as "Straight-ahead pop rock as addictive as crack. Not only does [BPK] sound effortless, he sounds unique in a way I haven’t heard since the first Marshall Crenshaw album." (Big Hollywood, November 2009)
- "Good pop that goes down smooth... a retro-80s power pop sound, bringing to mind Shoes, Let's Active, R.E.M. and adds a level of wit and whimsy to the proceedings." (Absolute Powerpop, August 2009)
- "Super hummable upbeat pop tunes... not only does this guy write some great tunes, but he has a nice understated voice that really gives these tunes their necessary kick" (babysue, August 2009)
- "Seldom have I heard such a strong debut of songs... one listen and you’re hooked" (Big Hollywood, June 2009)
- "This is required listening in the powerpop universe" (Too Poppy, June 2009)
- "Pulls out all the stops and highlights a special light side of pop that most reminds me of early Shoes. Old school, good school. VERY highy recommended!" (Not Lame, May 2009)
- "The tracks here are full of rich effortless hooks... this one is worth the effort to track down and listen to" (Powerpopaholic, April 2009)
- "Ice Cold Pop" is a startlingly good album... one hell of an addictive cocktail" (Bill's Music Forum, March 2009)