Catherine Irwin's singular writing skills and
performance style have always shone through, from her work as primary
songwriter inFreakwater to her debut solo album, the spare and
haunting Cut Yourself A Switch (2002). Her sophomore
solo record, Little Heater, is no exception. Her
lyrics follow the themes of old-time music - loss, despair, self-destruction,
and delusion - but the references and turns of phrase are entirely modern as
she aims her laser wit into the dark corners of the human condition throughout.
Little Heater combines raw and unadorned
vocals with lush countrypolitan- style productions: gorgeous string sections,
pedal steel guitar and dense layers of vocal harmonies. Recorded and
produced by Tara Jane ONeil (Rodan, Ida) in Woodstock,
NY, Little Heater features a range of guests including Bonnie
'Prince' Billy on vocals, members of Ida on vocals
and various instruments, and Marc Orleans on pedal steel, all
of who gently compliment Catherine's southern gothic tales.
Over the years, Neko Case, Kelly Hogan, Califone and Jolie
Hollandhave all covered Catherine's songs -- Neko covered "Hex"
on The Tigers Have Spoken, and "Dusty Groove" is the
opening track on Kelly Hogan's new album. As further testament of Catherine's
praise, she can count musicians including the late Hazel Dickens, Steve
Earle, Randy Newman, Indigo Girls and M.
Ward amongst her fans. As Freakwater, Catherine and Janet
Bean virtually paved the way for what is now known as
"alt-country." There was no indie equal when they released their
first album in 1989. Their debut album was an entirely new combination of
classic country by the likes of The Louvin Brothers and striking, raw originals
presented with an unvarnished punk rock/DIY attitude. Their next release, a
7", was a freaky, dulcimer-drenched cover of Black Sabbath's "War
Pigs." With this they cracked it all open. Since then, Freakwater has
continued to combine their punk rock aesthetic with a deep love and
understanding of country music over the course of 7 highly influential studio
albums. Catherine continues this tradition throughout her solo work.
Catherine Irwin's Little Heater is out
September 18th on Thrill Jockey Records.
Little Heater Tracklisting:
01. Mockingbird
02. Dusty Groove
03. Hoopskirt
04. Sinner Saves a Saint
05. We Must Also Love the Thieves
06. To Break Your Heart
07. Piss to Gin
08. Nightshade
09. Flowers of Darkness
10. Save Our Ship
11. Pale Horse/Pale Rider
12. The Whole of the Law
13. The Banks of the Ohio
No comments:
Post a Comment