Kendra Morris

★★★★ Nine Lives KARMA CHIEF. CD/DL/LP

Beautifully sung, soulful fourth LP from NY vocalist.

Kendra Morris’s first album in five years finds her in economical, soulful mood. Written to embrace various moments in her “nine lifetimes” to date, and working with long-term producer Jeremy Page, Nine Lives feels more natural than her previous work. This Life is a super-sweet summation of the New Yorkbased singer’s career to date; modern and retro enough in appropriate measure, its Philly string flourishes support Morris’s expressive voice. Nine

Lives is at its best when the adornments – as good as they are – fall away, and it simply showcases Morris; the end of Who We Are or Penny Pincher, a softly acoustic mêlée of vocals, guitar and piano. Aside from Got Me Down, which strays a little into vintage-soulby-numbers, it’s the consistency of Nine Lives that makes it a rewarding listen – especially on the two closing songs, Circle Eights and Drag On.