On “The Yield”, Kate Fenner Ruminates on Life’s Trappings (premiere)

Kate Fenner’s latest album, Middle Voice, reflects the state of mind that the artist was in following a thyroid cancer diagnosis. In the time spent waiting for her slated surgery to come, Fenner looked back on life in such a way that feels as multi-purpose as it does ambivalent. Middle Voice, then, of course, is a fine title to describe these uncertain feelings from the singer-songwriter as she examines love, sickness, and the very purpose of life and death through a human lens. The result is something honest, heartfelt, equivocal, and analytical.

Poetic in its structure, the contemporary folk tune “The Yield” recalls the likes of Joni Mitchell in its earnest constructs. Although the deeply personal nature of its design may leave its meaning mostly in the hands of Fenner herself, some could wager that it has something to do with the balance of keeping life steady while always remaining a dreamer. Fenner’s picturesque songwriting is only met by her warm and resonant vocals, which illuminates the song’s look back between city and rural landscapes that much further.

Its accompanying music video is just as captivating and introspective. Furthermore, its brilliant direction sees to it that it is as beautifully and thoughtfully constructed as the song it is based around. For those who like what they hear with “The Yield”, Fenner’s Middle Voice is out in its entirety today.