Album Review: KEELEY, Girl On The Edge Of The World

Girl On The Edge Of The World is the third album from Anglo - Irish glam rock trio KEELEY. This ethereal and atmospheric album tells the story of the brutally murdered 18 year old Inga Maria Hauser.

Inga Maria was an 18 year old from Germany who was solo travelling across the UK in 1988, but on the night she travelled to Antrim, she was killed

This is not Keeley Moss’, the lead singer of KEELEY, first project based on Inga, her blog called the Keeley Chronicles is wholly devoted to the remembrance of Inga and her entire discography is a tribute to her. In her introduction to the Keeley Chronicles, she says she wants Inga to be known in the modern world as she was denied the chance so young and to have her memory forever cherished.

The songs on this album are told from the perspective of Inga, making it like a diary. This is sad to listen to because we know what will inevitably happen to Inga, but it also gives us insight into Inga's personality, for example the line “I am a girl with a taste for the world” in ‘Crossing Lands’ shows us Inga’s curious nature and taste for adventure. Since Keeley has been able to talk to people who were close to Inga it has made this album feel even more personal. Although the majority of the songs are from Inga’s perspective the last 4 are from Keeley’s. Keeley has expressed how intertwined she now feels with Inga after all her research. For example the song ‘Fell in Love with a Ghost’ talks about how her love for Inga is the most real love she’s ever felt. Keeley’s entire discography to date has been for Inga so I almost think love is an understatement, the passion Keeley has to tell Inga’s story is not only breathtaking but selfless as this research has helped Inga’s case since they are still looking for her murderer(s).

This is an album that is not only full of lyrical storytelling but it allows the instruments to thrive as well.The melodic guitar in ‘London Fields’, the energetic strum of the electric guitar in ‘Hungry for the Prize’ and all the recordings thrown in really pulls it all together especially at the end of ‘Daydreams and Trains’ the recording of Inga singing ‘Country Roads’ is chilling but sweet and a great way to end the album.

This album is remarkable! The storytelling of the lyrics, the emotion, the sound and the instrumentation. Strongly recommend not just fo the music but to learn about Inga’s story and ensure her memory is forever cherished.

9/10