Mo Kenney

Given how deeply Kenney has charmed live audiences with voice and acoustic guitar, anticipation for her debut recording has been keen. With steady support from Joel Plaskett, the album may be an anti-climax to some, a revelation to the uninitiated. Kenney’s fondness for imaginative arrangement of these extra sonic resources should save her from the “folkie” cubbyhole. “Scene of the Crime” showcases a vocal range up for a dense backdrop of metaphors and distortion. The Bowie cover “Five Years” sounds even more dire than the original did in 1973. A Syd Barrett-like playfulness surfaces elsewhere to balance Kenney’s emotional impact.