Based in Frederick, Maryland, Mr. Husband has carved out a place amongst pop eccentrics of the R. Stevie Moore lineage, releasing a multifaceted body of work unafraid to embrace the weird and the odd. The approach was kickstarted by debut Plaid On Plaid, released by Yellow K Records in 2016, a release of dream-inflected pop songs that took on a woozy, retro style, laying the groundwork for Mr. Husband’s developing relationship with nostalgic forms. His music is cut from the classic genres while subverting them too, leading to a playful yet earnest exploration of American styles.
Since, Mr. Husband has let his musical inspirations run wild. Released on Forged Artifacts, Ocean Pines took the stripped back approach, a series of lo-fi 4-track recordings that belong to the traditional American folk tradition, while Silvertone cranked up the fidelity with a sweet sixties-inspired brand of surf rock. Which is to say nothing of the totally serious themed albums. It’s Pie O’Clock Somewhere represents perhaps the most moving pie-related concept not-album ever committed to tape, and we’re sure you’ve seen the ads for Heady Blue Grass Dog Party in the commercial breaks between Unsolved Mysteries repeats.
Less than six months since Ocean Pines, Mr. Husband is back with a brand new 8-track album. To be released on Yellow K Records and Good Soil Records, Kenny Husband & The Husky Section walks the line between the stripped-back folk and vivid pop tones of previous releases. Opener ‘Happy Happy’ is very much in the former camp, crafted primarily from wistful vocals and strummed acoustic guitar, though follow-up ‘Friends’ jumps to the other end of the spectrum, its warm, upbeat aesthetic balanced against a kind of nostalgic haze, leading to a track wrapped in reflective sentiment where loss is painted not as some abrupt shock but rather a slow disappointment.
I got your letter yesterday
I knew I should tear it in two
you never have anything good to say
you’re always making me blue
Some songs blur the distinction, while others set out in entirely different directions, making the album something of a Mr. Husband grab bag. ‘Stone Cold Killer’ is a classic folk song shot through a retro-pop prism, heartbreak rendered smooth and satisfying, while ‘Sarcasm in the Courtroom’ turns on the electric for a country rock ballad somewhere between Bright Eyes and Magnolia Electric Co. The syrupy acapella pop-hymnal of ‘Do You Love Me Too?’ is followed by ‘Anybody Else’, the sixties surf jump started by playful percussion.
Through all of the variation, the themes of loss and loneliness remain the common thread, and Mr. Husband’s ability to maintain such a cohesive feel across the various styles is a testament to his invention. Restrained and affectionate, ‘Punk Rock Hairdo’ mourns the passing of time through grown-out hair and dying malls, a retrospective love letter to a time now gone, while ‘End of the Story’ closes with what might be the most buoyant sound on the record, yet nonetheless packs an emotional punch too.
If the Mr. Husband oeuvre has been about collecting various elements of American music to celebrate and subvert in equal measure, then Kenny Husband & The Husky Section is the crowning piece. Combining everything that has come before, Husband has created an album that preserves the playful feel of the best pastiche while pushing through into genuine emotion, resulting in a record that is at once fun and earnest.
We’re delighted to be able to share the album a few days early, so be sure to dig in below:
