Americana Music Reviews

 

Kevn Kinney
Broken Hearts and Auto Parts
Evil Teen Records 031261

by Susanna Deviney

Kevn Kinney's Broken Hearts and Auto Parts captures the feeling of sitting out on the front porch swapping stories with friends via the guitar, and yet this album retains a new, smooth invigoration that gives his solo work a personal attitude with a mature energy. Accompanied by his current Drivin'n'Cryin comrades on many of the songs, Broken Hearts and Auto Parts skillfully combines the down home stories of Kevn's life with classic country undertones. The result is Kinney's best work yet. The overall feel I get from this album is truck stop meets crowded local bar meets having a Sunday afternoon beer while hanging out with my dog.

"Broken Hearts and Auto Parts" and "It's Comin' Down this Way" are uniquely Kevn, combining his style of folk with mid tempo twang. Kinney's nasal voice glides through these tracks as he sings about the twists and turns of life.

There is a kind of raucous, tough element to "Back Roads and Rainy Days" and "Yes, That's Me." These songs embrace a familiar, solid country rock sound that brings one to move around or, at the very least, bob the head a bit. The lyrics flow over a sound that ingeniously conjures a picture of what he portrays with words. A good example of Kevn's lyrical aptitude combined with pure country rock can be heard in "Back Roads and Rainy Days" as he sings:

Cup of coffee and morning kiss
If this ain't country I don't know what is

"Time" is one of my favorite songs on this album. With "Time," Kinney relieves the stresses of the day with the assurance that this too shall pass as a Metronome emulates the effect of a ticking clock. The ticking is beautifully contrasted with the slow, mellow tone of the vocals and acoustic guitar. Kinney is accompanied by Johnny Irion and Sarah Lee Guthrie on vocals, and at the end of the song, Guthrie's laugh seems to almost mock the ticking clock that has remained static yet not dominant throughout the song. "Why Does it Feel So Hard to Say" is more casual than "Time" but contains a serious lyrical dimension about the way time can strain relationships. Kinney begins and ends the song with the line, "She bought a clock that drives him crazy." In the middle of the song he sings "I took a simple girl and complicated her." The honesty in "Why Does It Feel So Hard To Say" is refreshing, admirable, and nostalgic.

While "Lights On" continues with the relaxed, gentle feel of "Time" and "Yes, That's Me," the tempo quickens to bluegrass speed for "Lightning Strikes Twice." As the title indicates, Kinney veers into blues on "No Blues," and "Good Country Mile" closes the album in a sweet lullaby fashion. With Irion on dobro and Guthrie on vocals, " A County Mile" brings the album to a perfectly serene close.

Each song and each story on the album portrays a characteristic or memory I believe is innate to all of us. I truly appreciate Kevn's honest and gentle approach to music and life. After all, can they really be separated? With each song comes a lesson in life and if you miss it in the ten songs that justly create Broken Hearts and Auto Parts, stick around for track #11, and Kevin will directly tell you what he's learned thus far.

*For more information about Kevn Kinney check out www.kevnkinney.com or visit Evil Teen Records at www.evilteen.com.


Contact Susanna Deviney at susanna-at-rockzilla.net

 
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