Madeline Kenney - "Sucker"

Photo courtesy Madeline Kenney

If you haven't discovered the music of Madeline Kenney yet, now is a perfect time to jump on board. Her latest single, "Sucker," is both breezy and contemplative, which might be perfect for the summer of 2020. It's this light, gorgeous song that never gets cheery. Musically, it's not quite folk, and it's not quite indie rock. It leans towards pop but never really commits to that, either. Instead you get a sound that is truly unique to Madeline Kenney, while still feeling comforting and familiar. Plus, it features vocals from Lambchop's Kurt Wagner, which is always a plus.

Madeline Kenney says of the song and video:

"When I lived in Durham, I found myself sitting in the sun on the porch with a musical hero of mine, who was worried about losing their healthcare and not being able to afford to tour. It blew my mind and broke my heart that such a genius had to struggle with uncertainty in trying to make their art. I wrote 'Sucker' when I realized that all of us continue to make art, and fall in love, and attempt things that logically could fall apart at any moment, but we are fools for the game and keep producing, keep pursuing. I asked Kurt Wagner to sing on the track because I feel like he is consistently brave in his songwriting (and I'm a HUGE Lambchop fan). When he sent me the stems, I drank a martini and cried.

I'm a huge fan of con-movies; my favorite film is Paper Moon. I wanted to direct a video that put me as the con-man, whose existence relies on making suckers out of passers-by; but ended with me being the biggest loser of all. I lucked out when my favorite Oakland diner, Lois the Pie Queen, let us film on location."

You can watch the video for "Sucker" below. Sucker's Lunch, the new album from Madeline Kenney, will be out July 31 on Carpark Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Madeline Kenney, check out her website.