As anyone who spent their school days squeaking away tunelessly in an orchestra will testify, the fiddle is a cruel mistress.
All the more reason then, to applaud Kate in the Kettle on the release of an album which is not only vocally, lyrically and melodically accomplished, but also demonstrates an incredible level of musicianship on the instrument.
Swimmings of the Head is the trio’s debut album which came into being following a kickstarter campaign, the popularity of which illustrating the fact that their music already has a strong following.
A record created for the truest of folk fans, these eight tracks are a master class in traditional techniques, with the haunting vocals and rich textures of songs such as ‘Paper Rose’ and ‘The Fairy Fiddler’ embodying the genre.
Having said that one of the highlights of the album comes in the form of ‘Green and Gold’, a song that experiments with elements of more modern and mainstream music.
Due to the fact that each member of Kate in the Kettle hails from a different country, cultural fusions are important to the band in terms of how they make their music.
‘Lullaby for an Infant Chief’ is a perfect example of different musical worlds coming together, with drummer Solana’s introduction of an eastern influence through the use of the tabla particularly prominent.
Singer and lead songwriter Kate Young has a gift for storytelling both through her lyrics, most notably in ‘Push and Spark’, as well as through the music itself, for instance in ‘Salmon’ the fiddle evokes a lively image of a river jumping with fish.
Music is increasingly being measured by the “catchiness” of its hooks and the infectious simplicity of its choruses, but Kate in the Kettle have been successful in creating an album that is memorable for all the right reasons.
Swimmings of the Head fulfils the real purpose of music; it transports us elsewhere, it tells a story, and it makes us listen.
Words: Ellen Renton
