You might miss the subtle shift in Nashville-artist Bre Kennedy's writing in her exquisite, new single, "Keep Going Back." Her trademark storytelling remains as potent as ever, extracting a universe of feeling from tiny memories. But where the singer/songwriter/producer once buried herself in memories, haunting their vivid images of past life, she now finds them haunting her like apparitions. Working with producer David Naish, "Keep Going Back" showcases Kennedy's most polished and detailed sound yet. Kennedy's vocals tie together the folk-pop instrumentation, blanketing the acoustic verses in her delicate croon. The faint rasp to her voice as the singer/songwriter slips from thick low-register to gossamer falsetto frays at the edges of each word. The verses are built like a worn sweater: loose strands and torn seams adding to its charm. The arresting chorus capsizes the gentle foundation in a breath-taking explosion of distortion-heavy guitars. Bright piano keys and sweet vocals maintain the song's pastel hues, but the colossal heights Kennedy soars to fashion strength out of this softness. It's the sound of an artist taking control over the ghosts in her attic.
"I found an old t-shirt that felt like you," Kennedy near-whispers as the song opens with gentle strumming. The distressed fabric calls to mind the worn-in comfort this person once represented. "And here I go again, pulling on a thread, / Leading me straight to the memory you left." "Keep Going Back" remains present in how it studies Kennedy's habit of being trapped in the past. As she repeats the titular phrase, the cyclical nature of her remembrance feels like a permanent afterimage. "You're still a part of me," she sings, resolving that the past never truly is left out of the present. Truly going back is impossible, but trying to leave the memories behind is just as futile.
Nashville artist Bre Kennedy released her debut album in 2021. The thirteen-track LP, titled "Note To Self," brought the singer/songwriter to new heights with highlights such as "Nothing Compares." Since, she's toured, collaborated, and continued releasing confessional folk-pop. "Keep Going Back" released as a part of the EP "Scream Over Everything (side A)," featuring the first half of her upcoming full-length album of the same name. The complete album will officially release on November 10th via Nettwerk. Kennedy describes the record as her most visceral and alive work yet, writing from a distinctly present voice. "Keep Going Back" released alongside an official music video, filmed by Hannah Gray Hall.
Written By Andy Mockbee
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