Kanna is a young band out of Fayetteville in Western Arkansas, a small city with a pretty happenin’ music scene. Before the world hit the pause button, the group was a regular presence on the original music venue stages of their hometown and the entire region. But the lack of live gigs has not slowed them down. Like many of us, the band has taken advantage of this downtime to write and record new music.
They debuted last year with a series of four singles. The band has now entered the fray in 2020 with the new EP “Greenjacket.” The record showcases the group’s diverse and unique mix of Alternative Rock and Pop sounds, pulled from past decades to create something wholly new.
The band Kanna was born as a collaboration between five Fayetteville musicians. Bennett Cox, John Christian Baker, Josh Fipps, Seth Norton, and Tom Benke explain that they are bound together and inspired by one common goal, “to make music that feels collectively unique to the band and to create a space for great songs to form.”
That collaborative energy and creative spirit have produced an five song collection that blends ethereal guitars and keys with a solid organic rhythmic groove and thoughtful, earnest vocals. The songs on “Greenjacket” pull their inspiration from moody Alternative legends of the 80’s and 90’s while delivering that sound from a very 2020 state of mind.
The record opens with a rolling grungy bass and some really nice Cure-style guitar on the song, “Punch Drunk”. The marriage of modern and vintage styles and instrumentation set a mood for the record. The dreamy “Silhouettes” follows. At the heart of the track melodic and jangly guitar, beautifully soaked in chorus and reverb.
Lyrically, Kanna songs explore the confusion of young love and interpersonal relationships through stream of consciousness observational lyrics. Vocally, their style brings to mind deep and moody Alter-Rock groups like The Psychedelic Furs and Bauhaus. I was reminded of the latter on the airy and rhythmic, “Feedback.”
On the last two tracks the band takes on a bit of a Radiohead vibe. I really dig the acid rock guitar solo on “Scarlet Fever.” And “Wanderlust” is a spaced-out melancholy meditation on loss and discovery.
“Greenjacket” is the sound of five creative souls coming together to make a unique and beautiful collection of music. You can find Kanna on all major streaming services. And give them a listen on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Follow the links below to connect with the band.