3 stars out of 5
by Charlie Anderson
The drive behind Denver-based For Keeps appears quite simple, really: friends and happiness. It is self-described BFF-pop, or as they put it, “We specialize in songs that make you happy.” Each song on For Keeps’ latest album The People We Let In, released last month, centers on relatively common themes of optimism, love and the importance of friendship, as the title suggests; surely not the worst of messages to share. The sound is as straightforward as the lyrics, with a lighthearted air that includes ukuleles, xylophones and sing-a-longs. “I really like singing songs with my friends,” is the chorus to “Friends”, the last song on the album and perhaps the defining line of the five-piece group. Such appreciation and love is certainly something the modern world could use a little more of.