Category Archives: Music

Kat Healy. Wolf, A Five Track, Five Star Gem.

wolf

Wolf, a five track EP by Edinburgh singer-songwriter Kat Healy was released back in July. On Friday the title track was released as a single, hopefully giving a gentle nudge to those yet to discover this audio gem.

Following the death of her father in 2015 Kat sought solace in the beautiful Schwarzwald region of Germany, a place she had visited with her parents as a child. During what must have been an emotionally raw period the five songs that constitute Wolf were crafted. They were then recorded live over only two days after she returned to Scotland.

Given the background to the recording of Wolf you would be forgiven for expecting a consistently downbeat collection of songs. Yes, there is grief and melancholy here but the overall message is one of hope and belief in the resilience of the human spirit.

Healy’s delicate, vulnerable voice deftly translates the emotion expressed in her lyrics into sounds that can sometimes break your heart and often lift your spirits whilst cleansing your soul of cynicism towards a sometimes cruel world. Opening track Be Still Gentle and Kind will have you instantly captivated. Trust me, you will find it hard to tear yourself away until the final notes of closing track Highland Fairy Lullaby have faded away. The sparse piano and cello backing provide the perfect accompaniment to Kat’s remarkable voice proving that sometimes less is more. Pianist Thilo Pfander and cellist Graham Coe have to be commended for ensuring that Wolf is a totally satisfying experience for the listener.

I’ll steal shamelessly from her lyrics in Be Still Gentle and Kind here by saying that Kat Healy is a flower you can’t ignore. She will be playing several gigs over the coming weeks to promote Wolf. I’d urge anybody who can to get along and see her live.

John Robertson 03/10/2016

http://kathealymusic.com/

https://twitter.com/kathealymusic

 

 

TeenCanteen, Pure pop delight with a Scottish accent.

teen-album

Say it all With a Kiss – Teen Canteen

Since their formation in 2012, Glasgow band TeenCanteen have been steadily growing their fan base with their addictive form of sweet infectious Indie pop. Their diminutive front woman, Carla Easton has said previously that they didn’t want to release an album too soon in their career. With this sparkling debut they have proved that the wait was worthwhile .

Right from the off we are introduced to the bands trademark blend of synths and harmony vocals. We are in familiar girl group territory here but Carla and co frequently take us off in new directions. The opening tracks, including Sisters, Kung Fu Heartbeat and Roses are pure pop gems. However it is the four song sequence that follows that will have the listener playing this album in its entirety for weeks on end. Friends, Honey, How We Met (Cherry Pie) and Dancing see the band deploy every weapon at their disposal in a charm offensive guaranteed to win over the most cynical amongst us,  all delivered in a distinctive Scottish accent.  Gorgeous harmonies, memorable tunes and inventive lyrics grab your attention and refuse to let go.

The band are described on their own website as providing sticky cherry cola-kissed three part harmonies. In the wrong hands that could prove to be a sickly recipe. When a band are as sure footed as this over indulgence was never going to be an issue.