Happiness & Misery
Self-Released, 2026
9/10
The North Carolina artist Kenny Shore returns with another batch of emotive and relatable songs, where some excellent help joins him for the stories of highs and lows.
“What’s The Difference” opens the listen with Joe MacPhail’s crisp drums alongside the warm guitars and soulful singing, and “I’ll Take Off My Hat” follows with an upbeat spirit thanks to the playful guitars, Robert Sledge’s frisky bass and Shore’s charming pipes.
Arriving in the middle, “Monkey Jungle” comes with a darker mood via the vivid storytelling, eerie backing vocals and Joseph Terrell’s rich guitar, while “Haunted” is brighter than it sounds thanks to the flowing rhythm section and MacPhail’s rich keys amid the expressive singing.
Deeper still, the intimate and pretty album highlight, “If I Ever Needed Someone”, invites singing along, and “Sometimes” exits with a reflective moment of cautious songwriting and timeless folk ideas.
A veteran singer-songwriter, Shore lost his wife to cancer in 2017 and his work is even more heartfelt than ever, where each story touches on the human experience with insight and wisdom.
Travels well with: Mathhew Ryan- A Little Imperfect; Sam Bergquist- Devils & Doves