Singles Roundup: Kat Kennedy, Jax Hollow, & RedHook

Not intended, but today's theme is strong women.

Kat Kennedy - Future Broken Heart

Would we stay in a situation we knew would end badly? That's the question at the heart of Kat's new song, wherein she realizes the swell in her heart is going to cause it to burst in time. And yet, often we will take the pain in order to feel the joy, paying a cost we consider well worth it for the moments of happiness we will get in return. That kind of resignation has been at the heart of Kat's recent songs, and once again she nails the tone of seeing the big picture and the details in totally different lights.

Balancing the bouyancy of love with the weary tone of what is inevitable is a perfect fit for Kat's voice. In all of her recent singles, it's been that delivery that sets her apart from so many of the others who fall into these sad/indie types of sounds. Kat doesn't need to be lo-fi to strip away the bright colors of her voice, nor does she need to plod along with no melody to express the melancholy of the moment. She can do that with the richness of her voice, which is both more interesting and more of a skill. Something about this tone just gets to me.

Jax Hollow - Ethereal Emerald

With this third single from the upcoming record, Jax continues to show the diversity and free spirit of her sound. This time around, she goes in hard for bluesy rock, with her fingers gliding over the fretboard in liquid runs of notes. I can almost hear the smirk on her face as she says, "Watch this!" I am watching, and listening, and it's becoming clear how much Jax has grown since her last album. There's an air of confidence to her playing, but even more to her singing. She sounds confident, assured, and in full control of her instruments. I'll have more to say when the full album drops, but for now I'll say this is good stuff.

RedHook - Imposter

Sometimes, we need a bit of a sugar rush to get us through the day. That's where RedHook comes in, as this collaboration with Yours Truly is an infectious little bit of pop-punk that for a few moments can turn around a bad day. The way Emmy and Mikaila's vocals blend in the choruses is amazing. Those layers of vocals are deep and rich, and it absolutely makes the chorus pop out with an extra dose of power. The whole point of a duet is to do something that can't be done with just one voice. In this case, it isn't the story of the lyric, but the scope of the delivery. Together, they elevate this from being a good pop-punk song into something nearly transcendent.