U2
Songs of Innocence (Island/Interscope)
Rising singer-songwriter Kinsley told us about her love for a U2 gem.
Kinsley: The first album I ever heard top to bottom was Songs of Innocence by U2. It came out in 2014 and automatically downloaded onto my iPod. I remember this “forced” album consumption pissed a lot of people off, but ironically it was the opposite for me . I was only 11 years old and I remember falling in love / obsessing over every track.
It’s hard to write this and not mention that album, given that it definitely holds the strongest nostalgic piece for me.
But if I had to pick an all-time favorite, it would have to be Traveller by Chris Stapleton which came out in 2015, just a year later.
I love how balanced the production feels. It’s done in a way that leaves space for his vocals to soar, yet still having its own moment. The music on each track is so individually unique while still harboring a feeling of cohesiveness. It’s like you can almost see the invisible thread that’s connecting the songs. It doesn’t feel like anything is ever competing with one another or fighting for attention.
His lyricism blends vivid storytelling with a level of grit and honesty that immediately became my standard, talk about a high bar to shoot for.
This album taught me that meaningful lyrics and upbeat production are not the antithesis of each other. A song like “Parachute” is a great example of this- a heartfelt message about being a shoulder to lean on, paired with a Southern rock driving sound. I was hooked.
It also taught me the art of storytelling. The visuals painted in the lyrics of a song like “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore” or “Fire Away” bring the listener into the scene and successfully trigger every intended emotion. I’m either on fire or I’m a puddle on the floor and in my opinion, achieving both is what makes for a great album. To that note, I remember the first time I saw the “Fire Away” music video, I crumbled. I had never seen a music video that not only displayed the meaning of the song, but took it to an entirely new level. The whole thing is like a short film! I sing that video’s praises from the rooftops.
I could give a TedTalk about this album, but I’ll say just one last thing- One of the craziest parts about all of this is that I have had the Traveller album art hanging on my wall for the last almost 5 years. At the bottom of that image on my wall, it says Mercury Records MCA.
I am now an artist signed to Mercury Records MCA. My music is now being released by the same label that released Traveller, 11 years ago.
God is good.
Kinsley's "Whiplash" is out now.
Photo Credit: Hannah Gray Hall |
