KENDRA MORRIS

With her fourth full-length album of original material, idiosyncratic singer/songwriter Kendra Morris invites you to join her in the DIY kaleidoscope world of Next. Morris’s latest record for Karma Chief strips away the veneers of layered production and slick sounds to create an album that may be Kendra at her most authentic, one in which the creative process is vibrant, beautiful, and messy, buoyed by heart and the imperfectly perfect now.

A concept album in reverse, Next ties Kendra’s cast of characters (including her band: guitarist Supremo “Premo” Massiv, bassist Monti Miramonti, and drummer Chauncey Yearwood) to a vintage board game in the spirit of Milton Bradley’s finest retro dice-rolling moments. Travel along Next’s block-to-block journey, and this universe reveals itself as a mosaic of corals, creams, and pale lilac tiles. You can hear the sonic palette resonate with Morris’s influences and inspirations. Decades of New York sounds and voices bend and blend at the seams of these tracks—a world where the Brill Building and Warhol’s Factory thrive on the same block while Blondie and the Frightnrs explore rocksteady sounds. Doo-wop and boom-bap soundtrack a UHF network’s worth of cut-and-paste stylings, all the while paced by Morris, an artist equally at home behind the lens as she is in front of a microphone.

In many ways, Next showcases Kendra Morris as a singular creative talent, where her prowess as a songwriter and musician intersects with her visual art to create an immersive world, one that by its very design is wholly Kendra.

Next is an album of firsts. The album’s extended gestation provided her an opportunity to explore ideas, concepts, and demos. “I’ve been living in this record for over a year,” says Morris. “I’ve always been a writer, and [Next] was a chance to write a record from scratch on my own.” The New York (by way of Loveland, Ohio) production is co-helmed by Kendra Morris and Leroi Conroy. Its production trades the steel and chrome sleekness for a more personal and scaled-down sound, exposing the songcraft. While earlier albums were awash in IMAX-level cinematic sweep, Next explores Kendra’s perspective with a handheld 8mm kinetic energy, all the while showcasing the dynamic, soulful range of Morris's powerhouse voice— equal parts Roberta Flack, Betty Wright, and Minnie Riperton..

With recording done at Portage Studios in Loveland and additional vocals recorded at Kendra’s Brooklyn apartment, the symmetry is as poignant as it is reflected in the home cooking vibe throughout. “I wrote and recorded my demos right here at this desk with my guitar, drum loops, and my Casio keyboard,” Morris reflects. “To then have [Leroi] come here, stay a few doors down, and record the vocals felt right and right now…and I’m also playing guitar [on Next] which I’m excited about, too.” Much like the best board games, you may end your journey where you began it, but the path you take along the way is where moments are made.

In the past, Kendra layered and cut all of her backing vocals with a pitch-perfect precision, but for Next, the boys in the band lend their road-ready harmonies to the mix. These vocals add a sweetness and a snapshot present to the songs. “It’s an aesthetic, and with the production as a whole, it’s a real extension of Kendra…and her vision,” adds Conroy. “The guys have a real vibe.” You can hear the brotherhood of voices’ ragged but right harmonies in songs like “After Midnight” and the appropriately titled “In My House.”

As Next’s lead single, “In My House” serves as an invitation to Kendra Morris’ world. “It's the dichotomy,” Morris explains with a smile. “My house is my head, but also my house, and they're my messes.” The song and its subsequent video tumble along with a Purdie-esque shuffle, with Morris spilling syncopated bars cataloging life pulsing just outside the hand-animated windows of her Brooklyn apartment.

“If I Called You” evolved from a slow take featuring just Kendra and guitar, but at Portage, the demo was transformed into a slinky, uptempo track that could have easily found its way onto Prince’s self-titled record. Parlor Greens guitarist Jimmy James adds a guitar solo that channels some Paisley Park magic.

Additional guests on the album include Ray Jacildo of Jr. Thomas and the Volcanos, lending his organ and piano to lo-fi reggae banger “Flat Tire.” It’s a track that traces the throughline from Kingstown to Bushwick and back again all with Morris’ signature AM radio-ready vocals.

“All the rhythm and vocal takes were live [in the studio]. Everyone was so cookin’ by the end of the week, that those takes were [fingersnap]. It’s a very band sound,” says co-producer Conroy.

That live band energy reverberates on tracks like “Bill.” A staple of recent tours, the song’s eponymous character is a playful personification. “I love it when other people realize, ‘Oh, I have that same Bill that shows up at my door,’” laughs Morris. The relatable, unwanted visitor has its universal appeal amplified by its clean and spacious song structure. “I wanted this record to really stand alone on songwriting, song structures, melodies, and lyrics,” explains Kendra. “So there's a lot of empty spaces in ‘Bill,’ because it doesn't need full production. Sometimes it's the empty spaces that speak the most.”

“Dear Buddy,” an open letter to Morris’ daughter, serves as Next’s emotional core. Not since the moving tribute to her brother (the 2017 single “Ride On”) has Kendra’s poetry and heart resonated with a tenderness and spiderweb fragile strength. The vocal take for the track is the scratch vocals from the session, which further lends itself to the unguarded and vulnerable sound. “When Chauncy was recording his percussion over the vocals, he hadn’t heard them yet and was on the verge of tears,” says Conroy.

“In the last year, [my daughter] really had so many questions as she's becoming her own person, and she's so curious…I just want to write her a letter saying, I don't have all the answers, but I can be here for you while you find the answers for yourself,” reflects Kendra. “And I realize that even more so now [“Dear Buddy”] is for anybody that cares for somebody and that has people that care for them.” Premo and Chauncey’s backing vocals add another layer of tenderness to the track, as both are parents as well. Kendra adds, “When we were all sitting down to do these harmonies, I just teared up.”

Kendra Morris and Karma Chief Records invite you to play along with Next, a sonic journey where the roll of the dice means excitement and adventure. Explore the world, tile by tile, meet new friends like Jerry & Roger, help the gang with a “Flat Tire,” or read a letter to “Dear Buddy.” Maybe you can avoid crossing paths with “Bill.” It’s Next, complete with 10 tracks and hours of fun for the whole family. Some assembly required. Turntable, CD player, or streaming service sold separately.