Hear a snippet of "Now"
It's widely known that stunning first albums are hard to follow up. Kiff's 2004 debut Will and Surrender was (sorry, is) an extraordinarily mature first effort from a guy who used to advise Bill Clinton in the Oval Office. But after a two-year hiatus, punctuated by sporadic public appearances and flying under the radar, the artist formerly known as Chris Gallagher squashes any notions of a sophomore jinx with the remarkable You Can't Keep it Down.
Though inescapably pop, You Can't Keep it Down is much more substantial and unpretentious than most of Billboard's top 100. Fans of Gavin DeGraw and Duncan Sheik would rest nicely here. But where they attempt to be soulful and fail, Kiff succeeds in the manner that Billy Joel and Lionel Richie (early Commodores days) have at blending soul and pop. Walled up in a recording studio has paid enormous dividends.
"Now" opens the floodgates with sultry, made-for-heavy-petting piano thumping and sets the tone from the start. The time for Kiff is now. The biggest sham is that this music hasn't reached radio...yet. Kiff's ability to craft flawless choruses is his greatest asset. Each song utilizes expertly accomplished hooks, riding the momentum of the climax like a wave. In fact, the autobiographical "Coming Home" is one build up after another climaxing on an incredibly catchy chorus, while "Lies" (the most radio-ready tune of the lot), will have you singing along in no time.
There�s no more hanging low for Kiff anymore...he won't be able to keep it down much longer.
- Jason Jurgens
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