The Keystones ‘Rearview’ Was a Two-Year Project

The Keystones. Photo courtesy of The Keystones.

Jack Sherman was scrolling through TikTok when he heard a familiar song.

In a video of a person playing video games in Russia, Jack could distinctly make out a song from his band playing in the background. It was a startling moment – for a band that mostly plays shows around Milwaukee and certainly has never performed in Russia – a reminder that Jack’s band, The Keystones, has fans all around the world.

It’s an impressive feat considering the hurdles that The Keystones have overcome since the band released its first single in 2018. The Keystones originally formed as a three piece with Jack on vocals and guitar, his brother Matt Sherman on vocals and bass and Eddie Curran on drums. Eventually, Jacob Lutzke was added as a second guitar player. The band’s name is a nod to Jack’s theater arts background – the character that he played in a production of Rent used a camera made by The Keystone Camera Company.

Like most bands that formed in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, any initial momentum that the band had was drained as soon as the world shut down. And even before the pandemic, Jack took a break from being in the band to work on writing a novel – leaving the trio to move on without him.

But none of that was enough to keep the band down for good. Matt took over vocal duties, and The Keystones were named a “new rising artist” in 2021 by Alternative Press.

Jack would eventually rejoin the band before the end of 2021, and Lutzke would leave the band in 2022. However, now that the original lineup is back and the band has stabilized a bit, They Keystones are ready to lay those bittersweet beginning chapters to rest – which is the inspiration behind the title of the band’s newest EP: Rearview.

“Rearview has been in the making for two years and since it’s been so long, we’re like, ‘This is the chapter we want to put in the rearview a little bit,’” Matt says. “We’re in a different spot as a band than we were when we started making this EP.”

Throughout the four tracks on Rearview, The Keystones flow between bouncy arena rock and dancey garage rock – like if The Strokes caught wind of what The Killers were doing and decided to clean up their act with a more pop-oriented album.

The eponymously titled first track puts Jack’s vocals in the spotlight. During the verses, the rest of the band pulls back a little, allowing Jack’s effortless flow of clever lyrics to shine. Lines like “I know a guy who thinks he’s one in one/But he’s one in a million/He’s nobody’s special son” have a poetic cadence to them, and introduce massive choruses. The song appears to be about a dysfunctional romantic relationship, but if you read between the lines, it’s like an anthem signaling the band’s return to its original lineup: “I don’t want to fight again with any other lover.”

“Tears of Tanqueray” is the hangover following the first track – it’s slower and a bit dreamy, and Jack’s vocals take on an almost mumbled, slurred delivery. But around the 1:40 mark, the band explodes into a punchy outro. It’s a contagiously catchy bop throughout, and the emotive buildup makes it a highlight on the EP.

Rearview closes with “Tenant,” a no-frills, melancholic jam that allows each member to shine – this time, Matt and Eddie’s rhythm section parts are the earworms. Jack sings: “Will anyone care at all/2600 years from now.” It’s an appropriate way to wrap up an EP that’s all about moving on and putting the past behind you.

Time and again, The Keystones have persevered. The members of the band hardly let the pandemic slow them down, and even when the original lineup fell apart, The Keystones were still making a splash nation-wide. With Rearview, we see the band return to its roots with a more refined sound – like the band has come full circle from its inception. It truly feels like a chapter of The Keystones is coming to a close.

And even though all four songs on this EP are single-worthy, The Keystones assure you that fans shouldn’t stay too focused on what’s in the rearview mirror, but what’s on the open road ahead for the band.

“Rearview” is streaming now on Spotify, Apple Music and wherever else you might stream your music.