Kevin Abstract – “My Friend” (Feat. MJ Lenderman & Kara Jackson)

Kevin Abstract – “My Friend” (Feat. MJ Lenderman & Kara Jackson)

Kevin Abstract, former leader of the rap crew Brockhampton, has pivoted to indie rock. Today, Abstract releases his new album Blanket, which he calls “a Sunny Day Real Estate, Nirvana, Modest Mouse type of record.” (Presumably, that’s Abstract in whiteface in the brand-new cover art above.) We’ve already posted a bunch of the record’s advance singles: the title track, “Gum,” “What Should I Do?,” “Running Out,” “Madonna.” Today, the LP is out, and it’s got a song where Abstract teams up with MJ Lenderman and Kara Jackson.

The song “My Friend” is an acoustic blissout with some pedal steel. MJ Lenderman, Wednesday guitarist and sick-ass solo artist, sings the chorus. (Lenderman’s live album And The Wind (Live and Loose!) is coming out in a couple of weeks.) Chicago singer-songwriter Kara Jackson, who released her debut LP Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love? earlier this year, sings backup vocals. It’s a soft, pretty little song, and it really does show Lenderman’s influence on Abstract.

In an Apple Music statement, Kevin Abstract says:

Someone showed me MJ Lenderman’s music, and I thought it was beautiful, beautiful music. Listening to his shit made me realize that was the bar. He gave me a lot of guidance, and then I sent him this song with my chorus on it and I asked him to re-sing the chorus. I like his voice so much. Then I brought Kara Jackson in to sing some parts. I wrote this song about going to Disneyland with my friends. This one is called “My Friend,” but it’s about all my friends.

Check out “My Friend” below.

While you’re at it, you can stream all of Blanket below.

Blanket is out now on the Video Store/RCA. Check out our recent MJ Lenderman feature here.

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