Indie folk for modern times.

Faces In The Street is an Australian indie folk duo born of the Keynes Brothers in Naarm/Melbourne.

The Keynes Brothers were founded by John Fraser (vocals/guitar) and Rowan Cole (vocals/mandolin/guitar/mandola). Drawing inspiration from folk, rock and country blues, they have developed an extensive catalogue of co-written songs exploring life’s challenges, the human condition, and the power of hope and perseverance.

The name Faces In The Street comes from Henry Lawson’s poem about the poor and marginalised faces of a city:

“I left the dreadful corner where the steps are never still,
And sought another window overlooking gorge and hill;
But when the night came dreary with the driving rain and sleet,
They haunted me — the shadows of those faces in the street,
Flitting by, flitting by,
Flitting by with noiseless feet,
And with cheeks but little paler than the real ones in the street.”

Read the entire poem. Its sentiment is reflected in many of the band’s musical stories, offered in a haunting acoustic and electric soundscape.

Indie folk hybridises the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation. That’s a good place to start.