Kennedys – Half A Million Miles
The title of Pete & Maura Kennedys latest album refers to the approximate number of miles the couple has traveled in the last ten years. Having crisscrossed the country to perform a thousand gigs or so doesnt guarantee an exalted level of artistic expression, but it does increase the odds. Half A Million Miles, their eighth album, only confirms the extent to which theyve honed their craft. Using a jangly musical amalgam that draws mostly from folk, rock and country, they offer secular gospel gems reflective of a mindful philosophy. Namaste is based on a greeting by a charismatic sushi bar owner in New York, while Here And Now is a recitation adapted from a Ralph Waldo Emerson essay. They also offer strong covers of Richard Thompsons powerful soldiers tale How Will I Ever Be Simple Again and Bob Dylans Chimes Of Freedom, the latter owing a debt to the Byrds rendition.