Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures more than double your pleasure with not one but two new epic albums — Idiopath and Omniopath, showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The debut solo releases from the Canadian ex-pat pop-rocker, actor, author and director, the experimental twin albums are being released in the same way you would expect any Kenton Hall project to emerge — unconventionally.
Made up of 36 songs over three discs, Idiopath showcases the multi-hyphenate’s unique brand of smart, sophisticated baroque-pop, aided and abetted by co-producers Chris Ilett and Brett Richardson, along with the dozen-plus members of Henson’s backing collective The Necessary Measures. Its companion album Omniopath sees each of Idiopath’s tracks reimagined by a tour de force of musicians including Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello’s band), ’80s legends The Swinging Laurels, and astonishing Scottish singer-songwriter Vivien Scotson. Each of the album’s songs will be accompanied by a music video, which will be compiled into a feature film due for a cinema premiere.
Idiopath’s lead single Maybe features a video written and directed by Mbili Munthali. The incredible clip depicts the highs and lows of a female-female relationship all in a stunning one-shot from start to finish. The song itself is led by Hall’s emotive vocals, moving across a bed of restrained electric guitar and airy percussion that lend a dreamy quality to the prog-inspired anthem.
While Idiopath and Omniopath mark the debut for Necessary Measures, it’s the long-awaited return to music for Kenton, who first found success in the ’00s with the rock band Ist. They were described as “curiously moving” by Lemony Snicket, whilke Neil Gaiman accused them of having “smart lyrics and catchy tunes.”
Listeners may also recognize Hall from his other works. He wrote and directed the film A Dozen Summers, has penned official novellas for Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who, co-wrote the 10-part drama Getting Better, and wrote the audio sitcom The Council, in which he also starred. Hall found praise with his 2019 non-fiction book Bisection, about facing bipolar disorder while parenting twin daughters. Despite the gravity of the subject, Hall proudly maintains Bisection has more jokes per page than any other book on mental health.
Watch the video for Maybe above, listen to Idiopath and Omniopath below, and follow the path to Kenton Hall’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
