Review: Debut Album "Just Another Story" by Kennedy Williams
“Just Another Story” is Kennedy Williams’s debut album about love, conflict, heartbreak, and acceptance. The project is a reminder to keep in your pocket; no matter what situation life throws at you, it’s too easy to get stuck on the things that disturb your peace. The songs capture the highs and lows of complicated love, including takes on both light acoustic instrumentations and other more ambient atmospheres with the inclusion of less organic elements.
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Kennedy Williams is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and performer based in Los Angeles, CA. Born and raised in Marion, Indiana, Kennedy relocated to Los Angeles in 2016, where her active participation in the LA music scene began. Her first show was at Movement Lifestyle in North Hollywood in 2016. In the years to follow, Kennedy performed in venues such as The Mint, The Troubadour, and M3 Live Theatre as an opening act for Marsha Ambrosius. Kennedy also worked with the LA artist collective “Sokamba” and produced her events “Kenny and Friends,” in which she performed with local musicians, collaborators, and friends. The exposure from these shows helped Kennedy refine her artistry and led to several studio collaborations and sessions.
By the end of 2016, Kennedy started collaborating with producer and Silver Gun Records CEO Alexis Rodriguez. In the following years, she released her first collection of original recordings. Her first single, “So It Goes”, was put on rotation on The Bash 105.9 FM in Indiana. In 2018 she released her debut EP “Rush”, which later led to collaborations such as the song “Summer Sun” with LAVL, which has garnered over 200,000 streams. Kennedy Williams officially signed onto the Silver Gun Records roster in 2021. For the past year, Kennedy Williams, alongside Alexis Rodriguez, worked on recording and producing her debut LP, “Just Another Story”.
Like every great story, this album shifts the listener through the peaks and valleys of an emotional escapade. “Silly Boy”, as the first track on the album, sets the scene for everything to come. This track defines the stakes with the theme of having to make one of two sacrifices: what you love to do versus who you love. This track being placed in the front of the album gives the sensation of a film starting with an intense scene in the middle of the biggest conflict. With its haunting atmosphere and minimal production, it leaves the audience questioning what could’ve possibly happened to lead to this.
The scene shifts with Easy (feat. MAXI) as the second track, and we find ourselves at the beginning of the story. In contrast to the haunting atmosphere of the first track, “Easy” has a sweeter atmosphere, expressing a more positive side of intense relationships; trust. Despite everything that’s happened, you’ve had each other, and that will ease any pain. The smooth guitar solo, MAXI’s verse, and Kennedy Williams’s lyricism keep it light.
Keeping on the positive side, the following track, “Tell Me” is a request to be seen and appreciated. This track feels like a hug with chill acoustic guitar, groovy bass, and precisely placed lead guitar. However, with some soft piano, the sweetness fades at the end of this track. Entering the 4th track, “Games”, the listener is greeted with a sad yet soothing acoustic guitar. In a close relationship, communication can fail to expose the truest core of our issues. This song shows us how over time, this exhaustion can wear down even the strongest bond.
“OMW” feels like a soft, partial resolution to “Games”. This song is one of compromise. In almost any relationship, you find that people have different boundaries. In many cases, these differences can offer balance, but they also can create divides if they challenge ways of life. This track is an offering of space in return for peace. As it closes, we are greeted with the intermission of the album, but it’s not one you want to miss. Recorded differently than the rest of the album, “Shall Pass (Interlude)” feels sweet and intimate. It serves as a small testament in the midst of change, this bad spot and these uneasy feelings shall pass.
After a long-term relationship, it can be hard to let go of a romanticized version of the connection that was shared. “Release” depicts perfect moments frozen in time that surface bitterly deep in the night when loneliness is surely to pay a visit. Moving into “Better Days” we are met with strictly positive vibes. In short, this song feels like self-care. It’s a track about taking your happiness into your own hands and taking full responsibility. However, at the very of the track, we get a small taste of the sadness that still lingers.
“Need 2 Me” feels like the final glance back at an idealized version of an ended relationship. It paints the picture of the last opportunity to get a word in about each other’s grievances with the promise of a severed tie.
“Peace” is a perfect finale to this album, which for the most part, has been reflective. The main thing that makes this track feel so good, besides the energy and horns, is that it feels like the first song that is focused on the present and future as opposed to the past. The song is written about finding peace in your life without always knowing what will happen next or where you are going.
In short, this album is well worth the listen. Kennedy Williams’s songwriting, voice, and storytelling shine through in this project, and it is masterfully supported by the production. Her debut album, “Just Another Story” sets an exciting stage for all the music yet to come.
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