Basic Folk 142 – Erin McKeown track x track

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Ok I think that Erin McKeown was really into this conversation solely because it allowed her/them to dig deep into the new record Kiss Off Kiss. Halfway through the interview, Erin proclaimed how fun it was to get to address each track… I concur! It was very fun. KoK was funded through a generous gift from a friend of Erin’s, who gave away the money with no stipulations about how it should be used. Erin decided to make a record AND pay it forward with microgrants for individuals serving their community with proceeds from digital sales of the album that she’ll be distributing at the end of 2021. The subject matter of the new album stems from a breakup Erin experienced a couple of years ago. They thought they were done with all that, but sneaky feelings of heartbreak found their way into her mindset when she found herself settling into the pandemic. Erin decided to challenge themself by writing as many songs as they could about the topic and bam! We got a whole dang Erin Mckeown album … and she thought she was done making records! Kiss Off Kiss is a fun breakup record… Some breakups are very dark and sad, but some are less heavy, so Erin went in that direction. There are a few songs that point out Erin’s desire to NOT be in a relationship, calling it a “crime” and proclaiming that she is her “own baby!” HOWEVER, when love comes calling, it can be difficult to ignore. Even though this is a fun record, there are some vulnerable songs about sex and some nasty songs that Erin admits are not fair. After all, this is her side of the story. Digging into those songs sparks an interesting conversation about what it’s been like to sing these songs live… in front of people… who want eye contact…. I’m pretty sure you won’t get that with these songs. You will get amazing suits, Steve Berlin sax solos and the urge to know what will happen when this person, the subject of KoK, finally responds. What? I’m invested in the story now! THANK YOU ERIN WE LOVE YOU! * A note from Cindy: I made a very hilarious reference to the 1996 rom-com, “The Truth About Cats & Dogs,” BUT I kept saying “Janelle Garofalo” when indeed the actor’s name is “Janeane Garofalo” That week, I was emailing and texting our web developer (Janelle!) every five minutes, thus my mistake. I apologize to everyone involved especially Janeane Garofalo <3. The new album: Kiss of Kiss