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Singer-songwriter duo The Kennedys (Pete and Maura Kennedy) continue to share music with a message, clad in gorgeous folk-laced trappings that allow the words to shine. On their latest outing, “Smoketree,” the pair has once again recorded and produced everything themselves, and this attention to detail makes for an absorbing listen. Maura’s vocals are beautiful and pure, and when the harmonies kick in, it’s magical: their voices are wonderful together. Pete’s deft hand with mandolin, pedal steel, banjo, and electric guitar give the songs aural depth and shimmer. Anyone who has a penchant for classic songwriter vibes will find much to like on these new songs. We sat down with Maura and Pete recently to discuss everything about “Smoketree.”
What can you tell us about this new collection of songs? What inspired you to write these songs and record this album?
Pete Kennedy: When we were working on “Headwinds,” our last all-original album, we were all just coming out of the pandemic, and the big question facing us then was how we can we all support each other during a crisis that’s both global and personal. At the same time, we were witnessing the rise of MAGA, nurtured by the news media that relies on alarming headlines for ratings, and we saw the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, an old-school, blunt-force conquest that’s a bitter reminder that history repeats itself and cruelty seems to be perennial. On top of all of that, the climate crisis continues to threaten the planet, our beautiful gem in the cosmos.
Maura Kennedy: All that sounds pretty dark, but it’s really our creative wheelhouse. We have always had a mission to write songs that acknowledge the darkness, and then search for ways to find the light and lift spirits, give courage. That lyrical approach goes all the way back to “Life is Large” three decades ago, and we still come at songwriting that way. That’s why we continue to address questions that are personal to us, but also universal, but we also add new ideas to our writing, commenting on identity (“Girl On A Motorcycle”), inspiration (“Like An Angel”), and gratitude (“When A Home Becomes A Castle”).
Pete: We also painted lyrical pictures of three mystical environments: a deep forest in England (“Puzzlewood”), a slot canyon in Arizona (“Smoketree”), and a cornfield in Vermont during the total solar eclipse (“Song For A Midday Dawn”). Like “Headwinds,” this album concludes with a prayer poem for peace (“Seeds Of Peace”).
How was the songwriting process for these songs? Do you tend to write together or separately?
Maura: Most of our songs start with an idea, something we really want to write about, rather than a catchphrase, a title, a snatch of melody, or a cool chord change. Those techniques work in a craft sense, but the stronger songs come from a driving sense of intention, something we feel a need to say.
Pete: Because that happens in moments of reflection or inspiration, we each will dash down a rough draft as soon as we get an idea, and then we’ll bring that into the duo format, unless of course the first draft turns out to be complete! On this album, it’s pretty evenly spread, one third Maura, one third me, and one third co-writes. In all cases, though, we play and sing the song together and make final tweaks as a team.
What was it like working on these tracks? How did your recording process work?
Maura: Tom Petty once said that a song has to be strong enough to stand on its own with just an acoustic guitar, and we agree. Once we get a tempo that feels just right for the words, we make a demo with just two acoustics and basic vocals. Then we lay down the acoustic rhythm guitars in the studio (“Headwinds” and “Smoketree” were both cut in a garage studio where we were living at the time in the Hudson valley), followed by bass. At that point, we have the skeletal structure done, with the chord changes and the form.
Pete: The most important part is the vocal, usually with Maura on lead, although I sang melody on some of the harmony-all-the-way-through songs like “Long Road To Freedom,” “Smoketree,” “Meant To Do,” and “Seeds Of Peace.” That kind of duo harmony goes back to the Everly Brothers, The Byrds, and Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. On the more solo vocal songs, Maura sequesters herself in the studio and lays down her lead vocal, then crafts her harmony vocals like an artisan. I might do a simple background part, but she can construct fantastic layered choral parts, like on “Like An Angel,” “A Star To Guide You,” and “Heal You.” Once the vocals are in place, I add what’s called “sweetening,” bits of mandolin, pedal steel, banjo, or Telecaster electric. For those parts, I listen to the vocal and respond quickly, usually in a single take, so that they are my first impression, not overly worked out. We want the tracks to keep the live feel. Then we mix, keeping the lead vocal centered so that the words are uppermost, because we’re songwriters!
What was your favorite part about recording this album? What was the most challenging aspect of the recording process?
Maura: Our favorite two parts of any album are one: writing the songs, creating something out of nothing, something that will last, and two: hearing the finished project, when we know our ideas have become a real thing that we can share, something that will hopefully have a positive impact on others.
Pete: The challenge in producing yourself is to see the entire project like a portrait. Leonardo didn’t fill the Mona Lisa with details that would distract from the enigmatic smile, but his backgrounds are evocative and a bit mysterious. We try to frame the vocal in that way. Everything else is supportive but not distracting. If you listen to classic records by Patsy Cline and Billie Holiday, or Nat Cole and Ray Charles, you’re always enthralled first of all by the vocal. That’s the heart and soul of the record.
How did you come up with the album title? What made you choose it for this collection of songs?
Maura: The album is named for the song “Smoketree.” It’s a word with a bit of built-in mystery, although it is a real kind of tree, and it’s an uptempo song that energizes the record. We’re singer-songwriters, but we’re not overly introspective or aloof in our writing, and we’re not afraid to rock out or hit a bluegrass train tempo just to kick things into gear.
Do you have a favorite song on the album, or, if not a favorite, because that can be hard to choose, is there one song that you feel the album revolves around or is the cornerstone of the release? What sets that song apart?
Maura: Well, “Like An Angel” is sort of an invocation, a song about songwriting, wondering aloud where it comes from. It’s like the old classical writers used to invoke a goddess or muse to guide their hand at the beginning of an epic poem. We invoked the mysterious angel of creativity to be our guide.
How did you select the songs on the album, and is there a common thread among them?
Pete: It’s question of balance. Some serious songs, some lighter weight, some high energy, some ballads, some thick textures, like “A Star to Guide You,” and some translucent ones (“Song For A Midday Dawn”) like veils, or mist. It all balances out, which is why we hope our listeners will sit and play the entire album in sequence. It’s like a book; you read chapters that build on each other, not just random bits. That’s our hope, but we know it’s rare now in the world of digital, over-the-top convenience. We listen to mostly vinyl at home, because it makes us slow down and live with the music for 40 minutes. It’s a rich experience, like reading a really good book.
What else do you have on tap for 2026?
Maura: Touring! With the album out, we have over 30 shows booked from New Hampshire all the way down to Key West. We just got back from Alaska and the Northwest, so we’ll have a lot of America covered by this time next year.
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