Album Review – Kiely Connell’s “Calumet Queen”

It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to Hammond, Indiana-native Kiely Connell and her debut record Calumet Queen that will send shivers down your spine and prick the very deepest regions of your soul with its sincere and distinct expressions of an unburdening heart. Exquisitely sung and written, delightfully sparse in aspect, it yearns to leave you with an unsettled feeling, and succeeds in a way that is peculiarly comforting.
When you think of desolation and loneliness, maybe you picture the desert of West Texas or Death Valley in California, or the abandoned hollers of Appalachia where the steep ridges only allow the sun to reach the valley floor one or two hours a day. But despite the dense population, the Rust Belt might rival them all in loneliness with the husks of industrialization piercing the skyline and slowly corroding beneath a gray sky, spreading a sense of hopelessness and abandonment just as palpable as upon any other landscape.
It was along the muddy and industrialized Calumet River of northern Indiana that Kiely Connell first learned about heartbreak and sorrow, and started putting these feelings into into song. Now in Nashville, she didn’t leave those ghosts behind her, she embraced them in the 10 songs of this homespun, but globally appealing work of striking songcraft.
Her voice is what strikes you first, confident and expressive, yet burdened with emotion and full of character like the contours of an elder’s face. For some it might be too rich or distinct upon initial exposure, but after warming to it, Kiely Connell’s voice will call to you with appeal. Though you want to pin her voice down as similar to some of your other favorite singers, it’s more accurate to describe it as an amalgam of some of the best voices to grace country and roots music all integrated into one.

Some of Kiely Connell’s compositions are pleasantly simple, whether it’s the snapshot of a diner on “Caroline’s Corner Cafe,” or sulking on a barstool in Memphis on “Nobody’s Business But Mine”—both of which are distinctly country songs at their root, and would work as such like many of the album’s tracks if it wasn’t for the more understated instrumentation.
But when Connell sets her mind on touching on something deeper like in the album’s final song “Disappear,” this is when she presents music that feels indispensable, especially when coupled with the unique character of her vocal tone. Though there may not be any specific effort here to capture a dark or Gothic mood, in many songs, this is certainly the result from how piercing these stories of hardship and heartbreak are, and the ravenesque aspect of her voice. This music is haunted by the sorrow that inspired it.
Though there may be a bit more going on in these songs than your ear initially picks up on, it’s fair to ponder how these songs would render with a full set of musicians behind them and a more robust production approach. A few of the songs seem to outright call for this. Nonetheless, you also have to respect the philosophy of putting the songs and Connell’s voice first and out front, especially when the results are what they are on this album.
You also get the sense this is just the start for Kiely Connell. With a voice and a writing acumen as strong as this, starting out so stripped down gives her somewhere to go, including more embellished versions of these same songs if she chooses to go in that direction in the future.
But even as presently constructed, Kiely Connell and Calumet Queen constitute a remarkable and auspicious debut that you can see initiating a strong musical legacy as it unfolds into the future.
8.5/10
November 16, 2021 @ 9:19 am
Her voice reminds me a bit of Courtney Marie Andrews
November 16, 2021 @ 9:44 am
Only listened to the title track and Disappear so far but this is really really good. Thank you for the recommendation.
November 16, 2021 @ 11:10 am
Well this is cool. Thanks Trig.
November 16, 2021 @ 12:02 pm
Ooooo YES! 3/4 time! Sold!
Midwest is so often overshadowed by southern states when it comes to country so thanks for the deep digging.
November 16, 2021 @ 3:07 pm
It bears repeating that Harlan Howard was from Detroit and is arguably the best country songwriter of all time, at least according to Waylon Jennings.
November 17, 2021 @ 10:19 am
Darrell Scott grew up next door to Hammond in Lake Station, Indiana
December 14, 2021 @ 11:57 am
I grew up in Harvey, Illinois, about 10 miles away from Hammond. Years back it was a steel mill town, along with so many in the suburbs just south of Chicago. There was a huge wave of Southern immigrants during the depression and war years seeking work and this is where they lived, bringing their music and culture with them. My father was from Tennessee and my mother from southern Missouri. John Prine, with his Kentucky background, grew up in Maywood, in the western Chicago suburbs.
January 8, 2022 @ 10:55 am
John Prine, anyone?
November 16, 2021 @ 1:17 pm
Thanks for putting this on my radar. Super glad we get to hear her like this before we get a more robust production approach.
November 16, 2021 @ 3:01 pm
If Amy Lee and John Moreland had a lovechild. Just love to hear her sing.
November 16, 2021 @ 4:49 pm
””’Thanks for putting this on my radar. Super glad we get to hear her like this before we get a more robust production approach. ”
….which more often than not seems to kill it . but yes …this is perfect and so is Keily’s voice
November 16, 2021 @ 6:06 pm
Damn, but she can sing! And write, too! This album was a stream it once and buy. Production does an excellent job of showcasing her voice and lyrics.
For me, she’s resonating well with Charles Wesley Godwin. Good stuff.
November 16, 2021 @ 7:03 pm
Yep, sounds terrific. Strong voice.
November 16, 2021 @ 8:19 pm
Wow. What a voice. And good tunes. Thanks for (yet another) new artist, Trigger.
November 17, 2021 @ 8:57 am
Incredible voice, great songs……blown away!! I rarely chime in on an album review after 1 listen but I actually got up off my office chair and gave this a standing ovation when the final song ended.
November 17, 2021 @ 10:07 am
I adore this record and I’m so glad SCM discovered it. Nobody’s Business But Mine has become a personal anthem and never tires in rotation. For years, Kiely only sold these discs at shows, understandably not seeing a point feeding it into the big machine. Her live show is staggeringly good—everything Trigger describes here in 5D. If anyone’s in Nashville, Side Pony (that’s me and Alice Wallace) will open Kiely’s release show at The 5 Spot this Sat Nov 20 from 5-7.
November 18, 2021 @ 8:26 am
There is a lot of craft and creativity in this album. This is unexpected gold. So different from Margo Cilker that you recently introduced us to, but just as important!
November 19, 2021 @ 8:46 am
This record is incredible. Thanks for the heads up Trigger. If Kiely’s people read this, I would love the option to purchase a physical copy.
December 7, 2021 @ 8:46 pm
great voice, cool songs.
-Woog
January 2, 2022 @ 11:44 pm
I sometimes play a mental game called “what’s the female version of male singer X”.
I just fell down a rabbit hole of Shane Smith for a week, and when I started thinking “what would a woman singing like that sound like” one of the names that came up is Kiely Connell.
March 22, 2022 @ 4:21 pm
I absolutely love this album. Been listening to to it for months, and it just gets better. As good as any record released in 2021. Absolutely dying to see her live!