Heaven Can Wait, the third solo album from acclaimed guitarist and singer-songwriter Jim Keller, is out now.
The record is the follow-up to 2011’s Soul Candy.
This album marks Keller’s third collaboration with producer Hector Castillo (Beck, David Bowie, Brazilian Girls), who shared co-producing duties with Byron Isaacs (Levon Helm) this time around.
Isaacs also co-wrote the record, which features collaborations with noted musicians from both coasts including David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) and Chris Bruce (Solomon Burke) on guitars, Jeff Hill on bass, Glenn Patscha on keyboards, Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and The Attractions) and Yuval Lion on drums, and guest spots from the likes of Nels Cline (Wilco), Marc Ribot and The Holmes Brothers, to name a few.
Watch an EPK promoting the record below:
Written in Keller’s spare time from his day job as manager of legendary composer Philip Glass, Heaven Can Wait came together organically in the period following the release of Soul Candy and demonstrates a kind of evolution in Keller’s approach to songwriting. “Sonically, it’s a little bit more interesting to me,” he says. “It’s intriguing. Since I’m usually writing the songs in my apartment and singing quietly, a lot of the keys are lower. I’m not trying to cut through the noise of a bar crowd. I think there’s more intimacy in the lower range.”
With an impressive resume that ranges from co-founding Tommy Tutone and co-writing the ubiquitous ‘80s pop sensation “867-5309/Jenny” to moving to New York and joining Glass’s publishing team (and ultimately becoming his manager), Keller began recording solo in 2010 with Sunshine In My Pocket. He released Soul Candy a year later and has remained a fixture in the local music scene, gigging regularly with a broad range of musicians and collaborators with whom he also often records.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
