Sometimes it’s the small discoveries that have the most power to change our lives. Two years ago, Spotify’s algorithms handed me Dermot Kennedy’s music just when I needed to hear it and my artistic and inner life have never been the same. From my first play of his sonically epic track Glory until his debut album release in October this year, his body of work has always had a way of giving me a dose of hope and vision when I am feeling burnt out. It’s also given me a lot of bravery when it comes to sharing my own work and clarity about what kind of artist I want to become. Invaluable gifts to be sure.
Dermot’s debut album Without Fear is a curation of tracks that shows how much this busker-turned-venue-packer has evolved as an artist. This album feels both like a stamp on what he has already accomplished after years of touring, working incredibly hard, and connecting so many people to each other, and an indicator of so much more to come. He’s made a movement by sharing his heart and living with dedication and it’s been amazing to watch that happen. Without Fear has a lot of layers to it and a lot of heart behind it. Playing it on repeat for the past two months has given me a lot of joy and food for thought. Even though picking favorites is hard, here’s some bits and pieces about how I’ve experienced selected tracks off the album- I hope you’ll give the whole record a listen! Cheers. An Evening I Will Not Forget: Dermot always talks of this track as a culmination of his life story until the point he wrote it, that there is everything in this track for him. I have always believed it’s a testament to his storytelling capabilities, putting a life saga into one tune. The mixture of quiet intimacy and climactic progression of his vocals, coupled with some deeper, distorted autotune backing, create the impression of how life is always a mixture of dark and light, pain and joy, how there might be personal demons hiding around corners, trying to snatch it all away, but they cannot steal the most beautiful moments life gives us. This tune has been around almost since his beginnings and it’s awesome to see how it’s progressed this whole time. All My Friends: If I were challenged to pick a favorite DK track, All My Friends would be a top contender. On the original recording from a couple years ago, I was pulled in by the rolling piano and wispy synth, the movement like this song is on a mission, and the lyrical voyage of it. So, I got absolutely pumped when I heard the changes given to All My Friends for the album, a glow-up that serves to enhance the epic beating heart that’s always driven this song. The whole tune is a musical feast and some of my favorite elements are right after the refrain when the vocals sound like wolves howling at the moon and the way Micheál Quinn’s drumming comes in, sometimes softly and sometimes explosively, lending major momentum and sonic diversity throughout. It’s truly a song for whatever journey you’re on and the people who support you on it. What Have I Done: What Have I Done ticks all the lyrical, musical, and emotional boxes for me. When you combine the waltzing piano underlying the entire piece, Dermot’s ability to make a vocal that’s both robust and tender, and some killer drum fills, you get a track with a climactic story arch that provokes looping a few times. I would suggest grabbing some tissues before playing, though. I do not cry easily but this track hit me in the heart immediately. The lyrics are about receiving love that’s unconditional, that stays by our side no matter what we’ve done, and giving thanks for that love in return, recognizing how rare and worthy of awe it is. The world can feel cynical, temporal, cold sometimes but this song is evidence of love that stays: “I never thought I needed saving, I was right where I should be. Good God, I know it's dangerous, but it's you that I need. I'm in love this time.” Every time I hear this track, I am blown away by it and it’s a good reminder to wait for a love as real as what he sings about here. Real love is out there and it will see us as golden, irreplaceable, and worthy of praise. Rome: Rome is the perfect song for those nostalgic, and sometimes painful, moments when the past comes crashing into the present. Similar to What Have I Done, its strength lies in its emphasis on lyrical narrative and the understated yet rich keys underlying it. The track opens with the lines, “So what’s the past for? I’ll need it if love don’t last long so you can run around infinite in my head.” The first time I ever heard those lyrics, I felt like my heart had just busted open because it recalled so much to my mind from the last couple of years. What’s incredible about this one line, though, is that the lyrics are both heartrending and -mending. They carry the truth that certain memories, losses, loves may always give us some pain, but we don’t ever have to lose the joy they held. From a musical perspective, the melodic simplicity and subtle production behind this song do a lot toward giving its storyline the forefront. Also, listening to a recording of Rome feels like you’re watching Dermot sing it live, which is super special. My ultimate takeaway from this beautiful track is that the past is worth holding close, even when it’s difficult. Outgrown: Outgrown is a standout track to me amongst all of Dermot’s work so far because it combines all the hallmark elements of his work - poetic lyrics, intimate acoustics, surreal sonic texture, hip-hop influenced rhythm - into a song that reads like a statement of purpose. The lyrics portray the fear of getting lost in the fray, not living up to one’s potential, letting down the ones who look up to and are closest to you - concerns that Dermot has always been vocal about in his musical journey. Yet, rather than the track coming off as dark, heavy, fearful, it comes off as purposeful, dedicated, and really hopeful. Ultimately, it’s refreshing to hear an artist tell the truth about the struggle between fame’s pressures and his desire to be genuine and it’s incredibly relatable. We all experience times of feeling lost, like we can’t hear our intuition anymore because we’ve prioritized the wrong things, like we might lose all that’s precious to us but be too blind to recognize it happening. This song offers hope in the midst of the doubt, a solution. Keeping that spark of joy in life, believing in what we are made to do, listening for signs about what’s coming next, and prioritizing those we love will always keep us from getting lost. I love listening to this one to get a burst of inspiration, a little kick in the ass when I’m feeling less than dedicated, and as a reminder of the folks who are along for the ride, who will stay by my side no matter what so we can grow together. Thank you again for reading. Much love. <3
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