THE KENNEDYS
HEADWINDS
(The Kennedys LLC)
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Videos by American Songwriter
The Kennedys epitomized the essence of what was once called “folk-rock,” well before any Americana branding came into wide use. A husband-wife duo consisting of multi-instrumentalists Pete and Maura Kennedy, they invest both passion and precision into their music, sharing songs that emanate from emphatic emotion.
With a sound characterized by jangly 12-string guitars and captivating harmonies, they bring to mind an authentic sixties sensibility that recalls Bob Dylan, The Byrds (Roger McGuinn was an early booster), and other harbingers of that new rock regimen borne from the West Coast.
Nevertheless, Headwinds, their first new album in five years,diverges slightly from that otherwise familiar template. Reflecting on America’s current divide, the pair veer into contemporary Americana via mid-tempo ballads “Late September Breeze,” “Silence Is a Warning” and the title track, while the rock steady “New Set of Wheels,” a jubilant “Little Green Bottles,” the soulful sound of “The Woods and the Wild,” the jazzy sway of “Tangerine” and “Yolanda,” the gentle lilt of “Waging Peace,” and the pedal steel shimmer that accompanies “Sacramento,” find them boldly diversifying their delivery by incorporating any number of distinctive styles. Maura Kennedy’s expressive vocals and Pete Kennedy’s instrumental multi-tasking create a full, rich sound that needs no outside assistance. Practically every song sounds like a standard of some sort, making this a markedly emphatic effort and, possibly, their most daring album to date.
Given their impressive back catalog, that’s more than a modest claim. So too, their early history as essential members of Nanci Griffith’s backing band and the livestream series they started during the pandemic testify to their diligence and dedication to honoring the work of their predecessors.
Then again, reverence is one thing, but the ability to measure up to those earlier ideals is quite another. The Kennedys score on both counts, one reason why they continue to be one of the most vibrant duos making music today. They not only carry a torch but also ensure it remains aflame.
