safekeeper
Formed in Fort Collins, Colorado in February 2018, safekeeper is the melancholy brainchild of childhood friends Zachary Visconti and Matt Scorca. The self-proclaimed “slacker rockers” are characterized by explosive live performances and an array of erratic songwriting. The four-piece floats seamlessly between melodic and chaotic guitar tones, often drawing comparisons to 90s-era alternative bands like early Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, Slint and Pavement.
In December 2018, safekeeper released its debut EP "on sludge summit." The 5-track EP features loud, abrasive song interludes, drunken yawls, and a whirlwind of poetry commenting on everyday systems through the lens of an odd and mystical narrative about a fictional land. Recorded in Visconti's duplex living room, the release also emphasizes the revived DIY ethic in modern indie rock.
The band released a follow-up EP entitled "bummer beach bonanza" in March of 2020. Clocking in at about 18 minutes, the 5-song sophomore effort is a more-forward lyrical sequel to “on sludge summit.” The production was also marked improvement on the band’s first release, and its songs a more cohesive attempt to establish a narrative — discussing themes of mental health and addiction in a wallowing world of consumerism, capitalism and climate change.
In 2022, safekeeper released a pair of short concept albums called "the gravity between two celestial bodies" and "the space between two celestial bodies." Capturing feelings of isolation and introspection amidst the early COVID-19 pandemic, "gravity" and "space" represent Visconti's furthest ventures into social commentary yet, questioning the nature of relationships, humanity and consciousness itself against a backdrop of outer space-set anthems.