CD Review: Re-Kindled by Kendall

Re-Kindled Reviewed:

Kendall's new CD,  just released on Woobie Bear Music (www.woobiebearmusic.com) is a retrospective of Kendall's output over the last 8 years and 5 self-released CDs. Woobie Bear has enough pull to get this onto Amazon.com and other retail websites, increasing Kendall's profile in the music business.

The CD amply demonstrates Kendall's range, from big power ballads to cabaret pop to hip-hop. He is equally convincing doing a priapic rap like Hot Drunk Guys as he is with a  love song like Ain't Love Queer.

One Sex – From 1997's "Radar," One Sex is an effective opener to the CD, a clever indictment of elitism and "attitude." Nice.

The Booty Song – From 2004's "Plain White Wrapper" EP, The Booty Song was a #1 hit on Sirius/OutQ satellite radio a couple months back. A great dance tune about exactly what you think it's about. C'mon people, clap your hands if you know your booty's in demand…

Rape the Willing – The hook sounds like it came from an old Coca Cola commercial. Maybe I'm misremembering. Anyway, this track comes from the 2000 soundtrack to the independent film "Where in the Hell is North Tonawanda?," for which Kendall composed the soundtrack. A nice danceable beat and good production highlight an anti-big business lyric.

Boom Boom Clap – from 2004's epic 19-song CD "Giving Birth to Reason," Boom Boom Clap is an infectious song built around the eponymous "Boom Boom Clap" rhythmic pattern. It's pretty much all hook, but when the hook is this damn good, it works brilliantly. I really like this one.

Microfilm – Also from "Giving Birth to Reason," With sci-fi lyrics and a noirish vibe, Kendall channels a song that's equal parts James Bond and The Sixth Day. This sounds like it could be from some larger project; there is a strong narrative line, but I can't really put together what it's about. Great singing.

Where in the Hell is North Tonawanda? – Kendall meets Ricky Ricardo on this clever Caribbean-flavored soundtrack song (from the film/soundtrack CD of the same name) extolling the charms of Buffalo suburb North Tonawanda. "You can fight, you can drink, you can bowl… but you can never rumba."

So Unreal – Another great love song , from "Radar," So Unreal shares the undertow of dread that characterizes many of the songs on that CD. (I'm gonna review "Radar" in a few weeks.) Beautiful production and singing.

I Get Dumb – I played this one (also from "PWW") for a straight co-worker, and I though the was gonna pee his pants from laughing. For the inner fratboy in all of us…

In Suburbia – I thought I knew what this was about; I was completely wrong. It's pretty straightforward, actually, about childhood reminiscences of hearing his parents quarreling about sex. It's almost scary in its honest appraisal of sexual politics. From "Giving Birth."

Motor – Dreamy and elliptical. From "Radar."

Flesh – Kendall has a cool video for this song available for download on his home page (www.kendallshead.com) this was originally on the "Giving Birth to Reason" CD.

Permission – Angry agit-hop from an artist fed up with institutionalized homophobia in the good ol' USA. Wish I'd heard this a year ago. Originally from "PWW."

Hot Drunk Guys – Where to begin? This is a brilliant piece of gay bravado. Kendall was quick to tell me he doesn't really get straight guys drunk and take advantage of them… I told him to keep that fact to himself. This song should be the Summer 2005 Gay Anthem for the Abercrombie & Fitch generation. I love it. Funny, but also well-structured and hook-laden. Lead track on 2005's "Ain't Love Queer" EP.

What If – Another unexpected love song from "Giving Birth." The wordplay reminds me a little of "God Only Knows" (and if you know anything about my musical taste, you know that Brian Wilson is God to me, "Pet Sounds" is the best album ever recorded, and "God Only Knows" one of the best 2 or 3 songs on the record.)

Stalk – Creepy. Another dark blast from Kendall's past, originally from "Radar"

Slipping – Another one from "Radar." Possibly autobiographical, a description of sliding away from consciousness and into a coma. I'll talk about this (and all the "Radar") a lot more when I review that CD in a few weeks.

Breathe Into Me – One of two new songs on the CD, this one has "hit single" written all over it. It's already getting steady play on bearradio.net. Yummy. It's also quite effective as a follow-up to Slipping – the title evokes mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Without Wings – The opening reminds me of Annie Lennox's Why, it builds to a big bam boom chorus reminiscent of early Elton John. Kendall's singing here is really beautiful. I love this song. In any sane world it would've been a hit single. Awesome cool. Originally from "Radar"

The Devil Will Be With You – The other new one, it's a 1996 outtake, dating to the same time period that yielded "Radar." It would have slotted in perfectly on that CD, sharing the feeling of dread in so many of that CD's songs.

G.I. Barbie – The opening had to be trimmed to fit it on the CD, but it's still a great number. Kendall exploits his 8 years performing in a drag revue to good effect. This is "pure Kendall." It was one of the highlights of his set in Pocatello, Idaho on July 2^nd. Originally from "Plain White Wrapper."

Ain't Love Queer – Cheeky cabaret pop from the "Ain't Love Queer" EP. There's a lot of honest emotion behind the self-consciously precious wordplay and delivery. I love the way Kendall cuts through the postmodern irony of the lyrics and music to actually get to the sweet sentimentalism underneath. A 21^st Century pomo homo love song.

Kyo – A beautiful, Enya-esque meditation on the Buddhist prayer. Some of Kendall's best singing. Originally the closing track on "Giving Birth," it's one of those songs that belongs at the end of a CD, and fits perfectly here as well.

OK, so I have some quibbles about songs left off of what is essentially "The Best of Kendall" (such as Dagnabbit, from "Radar," and the rapturous Are You Gay? from "Ain't Love Queer") but a single CD will only hold so much Kendall goodness. So go to Kendall's website and buy a copy of "Plain White Wrapper" and "Ain't Love Queer" (available on a single disc) and hear my favorite pop song of 2005, Are You Gay? While you're there, think about picking up a copy of "Giving Birth to Reason." I bet you'll like it. I'll be reviewing "Radar," "Giving Birth to Reason" and "Plain White Wrapper/Ain't Love Queer"