Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: Madeline Kenney (2019)

Joining us in the studio for this Indie Rock Hit Parade session is an artist who’s quickly becoming a regular around these parts. Madeline Kenney‘s first visit to the IRHP was just that; she was touring with Chaz from Toro y Moi and the Mattson 2 and was a non-performing companion at their session. Shortly after releasing her debut album, Night Night at the First Landing, Kenney charted a course to make our studio her own. That session was a swirling, guitar- and voice-looping delight, but it didn’t quite prepare us for the creative leap that Kenney would make on her next record. Perfect Shapes, produced by Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak/Flock of Dimes, was one of my favorite albums of 2018. Its blend of billowing synths, springy guitars and, of course, Kenney’s dynamic vocals, felt like a debut of a new kind of artist. In what has become a kind of tradition, Kenney returned to our studio when her Perect Shapes tour brought her back to Philly.

Just like last time, Kenney’s band takes the form of a well-honed trio. She’s joined by the rhythm section of Austin’s Dead Recipe: drummer Camille Lewis (who also performed with Kenney at her first session) and bassist Kyle Albrecht. The selection of songs showcases the wide sonic spectrum that’s found on Perfect Shapes. From the bouncy “Cut Me Off” to the electro-ballad “The Flavor of the Fruit Tree.” From the churning “I Went Home” to the sample-guided “Perfect Shapes.”

Listen to Madeline Kenney’s (latest, as of now) Indie Rock Hit Parade session below, and check out some photos from the studio…