We first got to know about New York-based band, KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION via their 2017 eponymous debut long player. From that, one tune turned plenty of heads – the insidious Latin shuffle of ‘Don’t Forget To Smile’. Many critics made comparison with the best of Stevie Wonder while they all enthused about the soulful quality and delivery of the lead singer who simply calls herself Kennedy.
Been a while (almost six years in fact) but Kennedy Administration are back with us with a sophomore set – the aptly titled, ‘Second Term’. The album opens with a short spoken intro on which Ms K explains that it has been a long time since the last album but “a lot has happened”, she says before promising a “good time” and if you’re up for some proper, contemporary, adult soul music, then you will have a good time.
The album offers all kinds of everything – funk, rock and soul. And amongst the best of the soul cuts are the complex ‘Runway, Gate, Taxi’, the jazzy, dreamy ‘Butterfly In Chains’, and the sweet ‘Tuesday Feelings’. If you want to party, there’s the obvious ‘Let’s Party’, the Rufus-flavoured ‘Let Me Be Your Licky Number’ and the funky ‘Best Is Yet To Come’. Purists might baulk at the rock inflections on tunes like ‘Addicted To Addictions’ but they’ll have to concede that Kennedy is some singer – a mighty powerful all round vocalist.
Production on the album is by keyboardist/composer/and musical director Ondre J who really does bring out the very best in Kennedy. Maybe we could have done without some of the “interludes” – (7, including the intro and outro), but don’t let that get in the way of you enjoying a superb and powerful vocalist. The album’s out now via Leopard.
