'Think About It' by Kevn Kinney
Kevn Kinney began his long ride in a Milwaukee punk rock band, The Prosecutors, then took a Southern turn with Drivn N Cryn in Atlanta, and as the years passed, he became one of the great living songwriters. He shines on his latest solo album, a moody acoustic-based recording that puts words and melodies upfront, adorned only by subtly expressive instrumental accents.
Think About It is as thoughtful as its title. Kinney’s songs gently insist upon further reflection on our everyday lives. Occasional influences show through. The lively jangle of “Stop Look Listen Think” recalls REM, and “Another Scarlet Butterfly” soars with the majestic lilt of Patti Smith. More unexpectedly, with “Catching Up to Myself,” Kinney ponders the inevitable (and the surprises met along the way), invoking the sad wisdom of Leonard Cohen.
Lighter moments offset the mood, especially “Shapeshifter Grifter,” which finds Kinney playing surreal jazzman at the Beat coffeehouse, complete with comping piano and a snappy beat. But more characteristic of the album is the atmospheric “The Innocent,” the vibes tinkling and a spacious string bass line stretching out as he muses in a loud whisper about a society whose glue is cracking. Without descending to sloganeering, or stating the obvious, “Half Mast” is a melancholy reflection on the unending gun violence of America, a country where shootings are so common that “come tomorrow no one will remember” today’s deaths through the distraction and the shiny toys.
