Kendall Jane Meade

“Meade hails straight from the Carly Simon School of Confessional Songwriting.” – SPIN

On her debut solo album, Space, Kendall Jane Meade channels a broken heart and a lifelong love of ‘60s and ‘70s singer-songwriters into a nuanced dream-folk listening experience both cathartic and empowering. After a decade away from music, Meade’s exquisitely authentic return is recommended for fans of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Camera Obscura, and Waxahatchee.

“My partner of ten years called and said, ‘I need space,’” Meade recalled from her L.A. home. “And that one word changed the course of my life.”

But on Space, which indie label Mother West will release in late February, the word takes on myriad meanings: Meade finding her own space again as a musician; defining which space is home; and putting emotional space between past and present. Featuring nine chronologically autobiographical songs, Space is a largely collaborative effort that reflects how Meade – who has also worked with Sparklehorse, Helium, Stars, The Spinanes, and Lloyd Cole – embraced the crucial support of her musical and social communities while internally adrift and healing, and making space for lightness.

 “It was a very intense few years, but also incredibly joyful,” she continued. “Coming back to who I am, which is truly a songwriter, and letting my musical community hold me up.”

 Produced primarily in L.A. by long-time collaborator/producer Charles Newman, Space also includes some of the original demos that Meade cut in her hometown of Detroit with Matt Van and Zach Shipps (Electric Six), plus sessions with Newman in New York, where she lived for many years. Back in those days, Meade performed under the moniker Mascott, releasing three albums and two EPs. The first Mascott LP, Follow The Sound was produced by then-producer-du-jour Jim O’Rourke and garnered high praise from high places, Jon Pareles of the New York Times then proclaimed, "If Aimee Mann had fended off cynicism, she might sound like Kendall Jane Meade… turning folk-rock into stately pop, wrapping vulnerability and longing in quietly radiant arrangements.”

 Co-writers on Space include Kris Gruen, who Meade recently toured the UK with; Anders Parker, her partner in acoustic duo Anders & Kendall; and musician/author Wes Hamil (Memphis Royal Brothers). Guest musicians include rootsy rocker Eli Wulfmeier aka Leroy From the North; Jennifer O’Connor; Anna Padgett; Mary Timony (Helium, Ex Hex); Butch Norton (The Eels, Lucinda Williams); Seattle singer-songwriter Byland; and Margaret White (Sparklehorse, Cat Power).

“When you’re going through tough times, it can feel like you’re walking through fog or in quicksand,” Meade explained. “I think we captured a little bit of that in the recording. There’s an undercurrent of melancholy because of what was happening in my life.”

Space begins with “The Garden,” an eloquent, wistful transmission of “all the voices in my head coming together all at once,” Meade’s delicate vocal lapped by arpeggiated guitar and choral backups. The first single “I’d Like To Know Myself,” co-written with Wes Hamil, will be released on October 4th and is an up-tempo rediscovery of self and space featuring Wulfmeier. 

"Wes came by on a day when I was not feeling particularly collaborative. But we got there with the song, and it ended up capturing my state of mind at the time, which was empowered, joyful, and kinda rebellious."

 The album’s title track is a lush, yet nimble finding of her feet flecked with piano and strings, while standout “Stereo” is a solo Meade composition about realizing, during her first tour in many years, that “home” is anywhere she truly wants to be, rather than a specific place or relationship.

 “My mission with the album was to process my feelings and help others to do the same,” she concluded. “It’s not just for me. Hopefully, it’ll connect with somebody who needs to hear it.”