EP Review: Mckenna 'Fuel Up'

Currently a student at Berklee College of Music, Mckenna recently released her first EP, Fuel Up, a collection of four songs all of which Mckenna either wrote or co-wrote. All four tracks relate realistic, insightful stories of relationships beginning with opening track “Kerosene,” which with its rootsy feel, tells of a relationship that doesn’t hold a spark anymore. “I wanna be like kerosene burnin' at a thousand degrees/I wanna feel the heat like how we used to be.” The melancholy title track follows, exploring a relationship that has spun off track and needs some work, with her realizing they can’t wait for the issue to “fix itself.”

Mckenna’s vocals are gentle, soothing (recalling Sarah McLachlan), yet effectively convey what they need to whether that is sadness, hope or even nostalgic longing, which can be found on “The Last Time I Was Me.” The shuffling, pedal steel laden track fondly remembers those days of happiness filled with “green fields and sunshine, button downs and bathing suits…..when sparks turned into flames” when she was truly herself. The EP is rounded out with “Lean On Love” where a daughter goes to her mother for comfort after experiencing infidelity, just as she did. It’s heartbreaking, incredibly honest and real - love hurts and for some it’s a fairy tale that won’t come true. “I found lipstick on his t-shirt/I guess this is a stain that won’t fade away/You can’t lean on love it it wasn’t really there/You can drown in lust for a little while but you have to come up for air.”

Feed your soul with Mckenna's heartfelt debut and Fuel Up.

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