Stream Mo Kenney In My Dreams (Stereogum Premiere)
Canadian singer-songwriter Mo Kenney is set to release her sophomore album In My Dreams in the US this week. The album was released in Canada in 2014 and earned Kenney a Juno nomination for Best Adult Alternative Album of the Year.
Kenney has created a polished work that looks inward for inspiration. In My Dreams is made up of introspective narratives composed in thoughtful, alternately playful and cynical lyrics, conveyed melodically through her sultry alto voice. Songs like “Faked It” tell honest stories about destructive, failed relationships with snarky lyrics such as, “When I said it was forever, I was lying through my teeth.” Throughout the album a dizzying, powerful classic rock guitar sound draws you into Kenney’s magnetism. In songs like “Mountains To The Mess” and “Untouchable,” as Kenney’s voice commands the track, the sound of a blues-influenced electric guitar sweeps the song into the realm of ’60s classic rock.
Here’s some background on the album from Kenney:
Hi, this is my second album. Overall the album is a lot different from my debut, it feels more grown up and closer to what I want to say as an artist. I find it easier to look inward for inspiration, so most of my songs tend to be pretty personal. I think I’m revealing more about myself in my writing all the time. I’m trying to connect with people through my own experiences, I just hope that other people can relate to what I’m saying. “In My Dreams” is a snapshot of the two and a half year period it took to write it. Full of relationship drama and a lot of self-reflection.
With her playful lyricism entrenched in intricate guitar work, Kenney has crafted an alluring album of the singer-songwriter variety. Listen below.
In My Dreams is out 4/29. Pre-order it here.