Flyer Profile: Teenagers

Courtesy photo

Travis Keymer, frontman for local band Holy Mountain, is recording and releasing material for a new solo project, Teenagers.

There’s a new sheriff in town, and by sheriff, we mean really good musician that writes and records some pretty amazing tunes.

That sheriff’s name is Travis Keymer (he’s not a sheriff).

Keymer, 22, fronts the local band Holy Mountain, and he just released two incredible EPs back to back over the last few months under his new solo project, Teenagers.

Both Teenagers EPs, Winter Storm and Vacation, and both are available as free downloads on their Bandcamp page.

The band sounds like updated ’50s/’60s-influenced pop, with doo-wapy background vocals, jangling tamborine and hand claps made modern with occasional time signature variations, fuzzy guitars, and Keymer’s timeless voice. The Winter Storm EP even contains a sweet cover of the 1963 Crystals hit “Da Doo Ron Ron.” Yeow.

Teenagers began as a solo recording project for Keymer, but over the past few months, he’s written and recorded enough songs that he’s decided to start assembling a group of musicians to begin playing them live.

We can’t wait.

We got in touch with Keymer recently, and he was nice enough to answer some questions for us.

Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
Travis Keymer: I have been stepping back a few decades and actually listening to a lot of Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, Simon and Garfunkel, and Otis Redding to get inspiration. I have really grown fond of their ability to create such a pure, groovin’ sound.

FF: You’ve released two EPs in the past few months? Whoa.
TK: Yes, I have. I have been keeping myself busy recording as often as possible. I have really been inspired to keep producing songs for Teenagers because the style is something I have wanted to achieve for several years. So, I have had a lot of ideas to bring forward which is why in such a short amount of time I have been able to put together two EPs.

FF: What other bands have you been in?
TK: Over the past four years I have jumped into a lot of musical projects. My very first band I was in was a band called Burn Baby Burn. It was a very progressive/rock and roll band, much like what Holy Mountain is doing. Also, I spent most of last year writing and occasionally performing folk music that went by the name Redwood.

FF: Do you have more recorded material available?
TK: I have a few more songs that I am working on as of now but the songs that are accessible on Bandcamp are pretty much the only completed songs I have for Teenagers. I hope in the next few weeks to have recorded some of the new material.

FF: Are there any other local bands that you think are doing good things in Fayetteville?
TK: Yeah, I think Fayetteville has the best music scene in Arkansas. There are a lot of talented bands that are always pushing forward and doing great things. Like Memphis Pencils, my good friend Neil Lord’s band Niall, and the super sweet Voyageurs.

Click below to hear The Letter, by Teenagers
[audio:https://fayettevilleflyer.com/mp3/teenagers_winterstorm-theletter.mp3]