Mo Kenney

The buzz around young Nova Scotia native Mo Kenney has been building over the last couple of years. Look for that to turn into a deafening (but tuneful) roar with the eagerly awaited September 25 release of her self-titled debut album. Mo Kenney comes out on the prestigious Toronto label Pheromone Recordings in partnership with Joel Plaskett’s imprint, New Scotland Records.
East Coast rock and roll hero Plaskett isn’t just involved on the label side, he produced and played on the album, as well as contributing a couple of co-writes. Plaskett may still be best known as a prolific and popular JUNO-winning rock and roll veteran, but his bonafides as a producer are now well-established. Such acclaimed artists as Two Hours Traffic, Sarah Slean, and Steve Poltz have all made good use of his Scotland Yard studio skills.
The pair co-wrote two songs that are highlights of a record devoid of lowlights. Slowly building to a guitar-fuelled crescendo, “Scene of the Crime” is a killer tune that finds Kenney singing with the emotive power of a Cat Power or Lucinda Williams. The frisky “Déjà vu” could be described as a positive break-up song (“gonna take a train wreck, bounce it like a bad cheque”). An example of Kenney’s own musical adventurousness is her use of wordless vocals, an approach that adds real emotional heft to a song like “I Can’t Talk.”
Having influences and inspirations drawn from classic and alt-rock artists rather than the traditional singer/songwriter pantheon helps account for the bracing freshness of Mo Kenney’s style. Fitting her sound into a neat box is an exercise in futility, though, if pressed, Mo can settle for “pop music with a folky twist. It is pop-y as they’re often short and catchy little songs. I wanted to stay away from the typical singer/songwriter thing and do something a little different.”
For an artist who confesses to once having had crippling stage fright, Mo has developed a warm ease as a performer. She has appeared at such festivals as ECMA, Stan Rogers Festival, NXNE, Evolve, and Nova Scotia Music Week, as well as notable East Coast venues The Carleton and The Company House. She is excited at the prospect of opening shows for Joel Plaskett just prior to the release of her record, and an appearance at the famed Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik.
Mo Kenney has already garnered serious respect from her singer/songwriter peers. The list of those loudly singing her praises includes Ron Sexsmith, Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), Gordie Sampson, and Steve Poltz. “To hear those comments from musicians you look up to is so nice,” Mo says.
The release of this stunningly accomplished debut album is definitely a momentous occasion. Listen up!