The Observer, November 9, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 10
Make sure you see Kenna's Face
After a three-year bout with record industry bureaucracy, Kenna quietly released his debut album, New Sacred Cow, to a tight-knit fanbase and ambivalent critics. While the album boasted suave production from Chad Hugo of The Neptunes and dark lyrics reminiscent of Depeche Mode, it ultimately tanked. After all of this, Kenna had to re-evaluate how to get his big break. The plan was set into action with big-name collaborations, commercial appearances, and a chapter dedicated in the New York Times bestselling book, Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. The anticipation for Kenna's sophomore effort was growing.
After some minor delays, Kenna unveiled Make Sure They See My Face on Oct.16. The album largely lacks the brooding lyrics from his debut, and the instrumentation has evolved to Justin Timberlake-esque beats. It's apparent that Kenna has been paying attention to both critics and fans. The spry opener, "Daylight," sets a fleeting optimism that goes directly into the apathetic "Out of Control (State of Emotion)." The Neptunes' production takes cues from Timbaland with effect-heavy synthesizers and booming drums. The sparse, "Loose Wires" feels awkwardly like Timberlake's "SexyBack" with added disco flourishes. The album goes from a short interlude, "Blink Radio," directly into "Say Goodbye to Love." The one-two punch of the interlude to the song marks a point where you actually feel immersed in the album. Despite all of Kenna's lyrical hopeful depression, the upbeat fusion of disco, synth-pop, and hip-hop instrumentation takes full control.
The next track, "Sun Red Sky Blue," features angular guitars that give an indie-rock vibe until the chorus comes in with a buffet of synthesizers. By now, the album makes a subconscious shift into a mellow style. The production feels limited and the emphasis begins to be placed more on the lyrics. "Baptized in Blacklight" portrays this, but the lyrics ultimately fall flat with the instrumentation. "Phantom Always" picks up the slack with Kenna crooning about a haunting past lover. While the subdued formula doesn't exactly work on the songs before, it is seemingly done with ease here.
The album briefly goes back into the large-scale production value found on the beginning of the album with "Face the Gun." Moreover, it is a welcomed return that picks the album out of its mellowed-out haze. The interlude track, "Good Luck," feels unnecessary and returns to themes presented in "Loose Wires." "Better Wise Up" is a cool hip-hop fused jam that showcases Kenna's vocal ability. It subtly feels like a track off his debut, which keeps a lyrical mystique and an introspective style. The album returns to its toned-down atmosphere with the romantic "Be Still," which presents a new kind of writing in Kenna's lyric book. The album ends with "Wide Awake," which is easily one of the strongest tracks and a perfect closer.
While the album keeps similar styles with his debut, Face makes it apparent that Kenna took extensive notes throughout his introduction to the music industry. He doesn't stray too far from his roots, but the album is a fair evolution. There are tracks for electronic, hip-hop, pop, and indie-rock fans to each enjoy and find some meaning in. While the track listing can make the album feel repetitive, perhaps it reflects Kenna's psyche. Going from the optimistic, pugnacious symphonies to sparse, doubting introspections, Face has both substance and stylistic accessibility.
