Kenefick Hard Road by David Pilot
	Houston's Kenefick is a refreshing story, a band pulled together by a couple of buddies inspired by the open mic nights all over their home city who figured, hell, they could do that, too. The surprising thing is they were right. Normally a five-piece band with only two members with prior experience on the bright side of the lights is a doomed venture. In Kenefick's case, those two are drummer Keith Quinones and bassist Stephen Shirk. Supposing the casual listener is a fan of house music or Genesis, perhaps a kick-ass rhythm section is the logical place to start. Texas beer halls, though, are a slightly different story. Enter lead singers/writers Marty Wells and Quintin Watts, two diamond-in-the-rough talents with varied backgrounds and the trust and go-get-'em of a long-term friendship. Toss in Glenn Byrd on the electric guitar and there you have it: the core of what just might be one hell of a band before they're through. Kenefick's debut disc, Hard Road, is an interesting compilation well worth your time. The musical style stays in the straight-ahead country lane, but the production values (Adam Odor with a hand from Lloyd Maines) are impeccable and the recording is tight, tight, tight. From the smooth upbeat two-step opener "Don't Make Me Come Over There" with its obvious George Strait influences through the original and deeply haunting "Long Night in Galveston," Hard Road takes a listener on a musical odyssey through the things that make this country life so textured. There's some amazing songwriting on display here, debut effort notwithstanding. Some of these songs show a level of experience and a feel for the game that many established bands, both Texas and Nashville, simply have not reached. Keneick brings the cheeky Wells/Watts regional favorite "Pasa Get-Down Dena" to life with a driving intensity, while "Texas Sky" is compact and to the point lyrically. An argument can be made, and reasonably so, that this cut exists solely as a nod to the record-buying contingent who want Texas stamped all over everything they buy. Homesick listeners who find themselves out-of-state for reasons work-related or otherwise, however, will take an instant liking to this song. Its imagery is effective for any who miss that blue expanse that looks entirely different when viewed from points north of the Red River. The title cut, by contrast, is insightful, dark, and deep. The Hag's fingerprints are all over this one, and some of the earnestly morose ramblings of the Man in Black must have figured in the mix as well. The story is not new and the ideas are not original, but the tale is well told and the accompaniment behind the vocals adds the perfect air of ferocious intensity. Quintin Watts, the lead singer with no musical background, penned most of this cut with a hand from Marty Wells. They display a solid understanding of the extrapolation from and building on process that modern music requires - - let's face it, there's not much truly original to be done anymore. But timeless themes viewed through individual lenses can be the stuff of magic, and on Hard Road, Kenefick makes it clear they know the dance. There's also a rousing rendition of the Gussie Davis public domain tune "Maple On the Hill," featuring Houston's Joe Parsons on intro vocals and with backup from Ryan Mucha, Ray Cashman and Clay Farmer. This is a toe-tapping cut, driven by mandolin and banjo, with Lloyd Maines sitting in on acoustic guitar to boot. It's an old-fashioned country/bluegrass tune, gospel-tinged and requiring substantial harmony vocals. The boys provide 'em here in spades; the cut is a keeper. There's also an interesting hidden track, "Cows Y'all," a parody of the ubiquitous "Who Let the Dogs Out." Nice Western take on the annoying track, and Kenefick manages to make the damned song listenable. No small feat, but definitely a beer hall favorite. Chick-Fila ought to pick this song up for promos. Overall, Kenefick has put together an excellent debut album in Hard Road. As always with a new band, there's room to grow-the good news is these fellas have the foundation in place. You can hear the band regularly in Houston, and order CDs or learn more about the boys at www.kenefickmusic.com. You can contact David Pilot at: tailgunner-at-rockzilla.net

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