Songsmith Kenny Howes is keeping the power-pop flame lit brightly. Backed by his band The WOW!, the track “People Are Doing Stuff” is off his latest LP, Tornadoes Here & Past. The infectious track features harmonious vocals and a loping bass line McCartney would no doubt give a wide-eyed, thumbs-up to. Chiming Rickenbacker guitars intermingle with swelling horns, that gradually build towards a frenetic, cymbal-drenched crescendo over a chant of “what are you doing?” Playful, tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“People are singing, singing a song that is better than this”) suggest Howes is a man who doesn’t take himself too seriously, and that personable humor pays off well.
Howes hails from Atlanta and recently played a bunch of shows, opening for Tom Petty and filling in for the Smithereens’ bassist. He’s the definition of a professional power-pop musician.
