• News

• All

May 19, 2020 Flock of Dimes By Christopher Roberts

Oakland, CA-based singer/songwriter Madeline Kenney has announced a new album, Sucker’s Lunch, and shared its first single, “Sucker,” via a self-directed video for the track. “Sucker” features guest vocals from Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner. Sucker’s Lunch is Kenney’s third album and is due out July 31 via Carpark. Check out “Sucker” below, followed by the album’s tracklist and cover art.

Sucker’s Lunch is the follow-up to 2018’s Perfect Shapes and her 2017-released debut album, Night Night at the First Landing (which was produced by Toro Y Moi’s Chaz Bear). Perfect Shapes was produced by Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak and Flock of Dimes. Wasner returns as producer for Sucker’s Lunch, but this time she’s joined by her Wye Oak bandmate Andy Stack (aka Joyero). The album was recorded in Durham, Oakland, and San Francisco.

A press release explains that “thematically, Sucker’s Lunch sees Kenney soberly contrasting the risks and rewards of falling in love, eventually deciding to dive headfirst into her own foolishness and relish in the unknowing.”

Kenney elaborates in the press release: “I’m not interested in something easy or immediately apparent. My experience writing these songs wasn’t easy, it was painful and difficult. I was terrified of falling in love, and as much as I’d like to write a sticky sweet song for someone, it doesn’t come naturally to me. Instead I wanted to explore the tiny moments; sitting alone in my room guessing what the other person was thinking, spiraling into a maze of logical reasons to bail and finding my way out again. When I spoke with friends about the theme of the ‘idiot,’ it became apparent that everyone understood that feeling and was relieved to hear it echoed in someone else.”

As for “Sucker,” Kenney had this to say: “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.”

Of the “Sucker” video she had this to say: “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.”

In 2019 Kenney shared the new song “Helpless” as part of a split 7-inch with Flock of Dimes.

Read Kenney’s Underrated Album post for us on Paul Simon’s One Trick Pony.

Read our 2017 Pleased to Meet You interview with Madeline Kenney.

Read our 2017 Artist Survey interview with Madeline Kenney.

Sucker’s Lunch Tracklist:

1. Sugar Sweat
2. Picture of You
3. Jenny
4. Tell You Everything
5. Sucker
6. Double Hearted
7. Cut the Real
8. Be That Man
9. White Window Light
10. Sweet Coffee

Support Under the Radar on Patreon.