AMG Review of Sleeping on a Roller Coaster

Jack Leaver
All Music Guide

After a less than ideal tenure at Geffen Records, Keene emerged undaunted in the '90s with a rockin' new band and a strong batch of fresh songs, as evidenced on this five-song EP. Produced by Keene and Steve Carr -- who engineered a good share of Keene's work in the '80s, including the magnificent Places That Are Gone EP -- Sleeping on a Roller Coaster contains some of Keene's most dynamic and powerful pop/rock performances to date. With muscular grooves provided by Brad Quinn on bass, vocals and piano, and drummer John Richardson, along with a guest guitar appearance from Justin Hibbard on two tracks, Keene -- who also doubles on keyboards -- delivers an irresistibly melodic guitar assault and inspired singing throughout the set.