Mo Kenney is slowing down her sound in her latest release, “Game of Pricks.” As the second single to be released ahead of her upcoming Covers album, it takes an extremely stripped-back approach to the Guided by Voices track, leaving the meaning and emotion behind the lyrics exposed and letting them breathe.
Consisting of nothing but a base layer of sombre piano, played by Joel Plaskett, and Kenney’s stirring, soft vocals, this rendition of the track cools down its energy and gives it an entirely new face.
“I hope Guided by Voices fans enjoy my take on the song. I slowed it right down and set it to piano. You can really hear how cool the lyrics are,” says Kenney.
“Joel Plaskett and I produced it. We sat on opposite sides of the studio, Joel at the piano and me sitting in front of a mic. It was one of the best moments of making the record.”
Though it is a cover, it may not be recognizable to those who aren’t die-hard Guided by Voices fans, due to its stark contrast against the original version. While the original track is fast-paced, limb-thrashing 90’s lo-fi goodness, this version puts you to bed, tucks you in, kisses you on the forehead and tells you it’s okay to cry yourself to sleep if you need to. Its pacing is slowed so much that its playtime is an entire minute longer than the original track’s length of a minute and thirty-three seconds. Kenney’s bare-bones approach to the track showcases the blood that Guided by Voices put into the lyrics and spares the high-energy, upbeat mask.
Kenney’s previous cover single, “You Belong To Me,” also took a slowed-down and evocative approach to the classic, best known by Patsy Cline’s 1962 rendition. Now with the release of “Game of Pricks,” it would seem that Covers is shaping up to be a full collection of undressed classics.
Though Kenney’s new pace is slower than we are used to hearing from her, her ability to stir up emotions in the listener and express herself in such a raw manner persists.