Tommy Keene

A mid-’80s college-rock phenom, singer-songwriter Tommy Keene was groomed for crossover success with his 1986 major-label album, Songs From The Film. Produced by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, the album didn’t quite do the trick, and Keene remained a cult favorite. He’s since been embraced by the indie world, thanks a series of strong albums in the ’90s and a handful of collaborations with musical soulmate Robert Pollard (including their 2006 album Blues And Boogie Shoes as The Keene Brothers). 2009’s In The Late Bright and the new Behind The Paradise mine the same territory that brought him critical acclaim in the first place: short bursts of meticulously textured power-pop, melded seamlessly with layers of psychedelic fuzz, post-punk discordance, and folk-rock twang.

Updated 08/29/2011