Keith Z reimagined patriotism through emo-tinted satire in ‘Miss USA’

Keith Z has stars and stripes in his eyes in his latest salaciously hooky rock-meets-pop-punk anthem, Miss USA. If you can imagine what it would sound like if Sam Fender had a full-frontal emo phase, you’ll get an idea of the renegade singer-songwriter’s sophomore slice of augmented rock euphoria, which keeps you guessing where he’s hidden his satirical knives. It’s all in the nuance with Miss USA. The unapologetically lust-drenched homage to the red, white, and blue femme fatale runs riot on a bed of twang-soaked Americana hooks pushed to the brink of hyperdrive, all while sliding into pit-starting pop-punk swagger. There’s a sticky-sweet smirk behind every chorus, which feels genetically engineered to get stuck in your head and nest there until your brain starts chanting the hook back at you mid-laundry. The guitar solos would make Springsteen prick up his ears, but this isn’t a straightforward rock release by any measure. This is a satirical love letter scrawled in Sharpie on a crumpled flag, delivered with enough mischief and wit to make it impossible to pin down sincerity or irony. That’s the point. The American dream gets its lip bitten and its halo tilted. While Keith Z continues to […]

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