Kevin is an interesting guy, for whom I have a lot of respect. However I don't know him as well as his brother Cory. And I don't remember any communication with him, tho I have confabbed with Cory online on rare occasions, across our two myspace sites in private, as well as on his mb in public once in a while.

Shania and Mutt are doing their new album without Kevin.

I've seen a few snippets that Mutt is going back to an earlier collaborator (Morro?), who'd worked on the COO album.

Possibly they're aiming for a more pop sound this time, or aiming more for ear candy and great hooks with mass/inter-genre appeal, than for innovations and new concepts.

Also possibly, it's good to work with different collaborators, so they don't get too tired of each other. I've heard that some folks have been driven to their limit. Even Shania's said she'd like to throw Mutt in the Lake sometimes. And in one of those short videos I got from somewhere - possibly an OFC renewal pack, she's seen greeting her band members somewhere during the prelims to the UP! tour. She greeted them all warmly except for Cory. To him she teased that she'd seen too much of him lately (working on the Up! album in Switzerland.)