Keep for Cheap - "Losing" | New Music

(Cover art by Lydia Williams)

Keep for Cheap are entering a new era. They've finished recording their debut album and are leaving the prairie behind. They have left us with one last gift — their new single "Losing." Intended as a spiritual sequel/B-side to last fall's excellent "Forgive Me," it finds the band indulging in themselves and their influences to create their most expansive song yet.

My eyes lit up when I saw that "Losing" has a near-six-minute runtime. On paper alone, I am extremely on board. It's essentially two songs in one: a strong core idea augmented by a fractured and grandiose outro. Keep for Cheap's ability to sew the two together and confidently deliver on such an ambitious structure is a testament to their grow as songwriters since 2019's Get Along.

Leisurely wandering from the start, "Losing" matches the gentle vocals of Kate Malanaphy and Autumn Vagle with a frayed 70's riff and a straw-in-the-mouth twang. The energy ebbs and flows without ever hitting a peak. Rather than prematurely reaching the song's crest, the quintet stays united in dust-ridden resolve. 

Keep for Cheap has proven themselves capable of hitting euphoric highs with something like the instant singalong chorus of "Day Without You" or wailing titular repetition of "Forgive Me." Part of why "Losing" works so well as a transitional moment is because it avoids hitting the same notes and instead expands the band's sonic ecosystem. While it is mournful to see the end of the prairie rock leaving the house tonight, Keep for Cheap has once again shown off their adventurous creativity and stellar musical chops.

Listen to "Losing" below.

You can watch our live session with Keep for Cheap, featuring songs from their upcoming LP, below.