Kathryn Calder - Kathryn Calder

Kathryn Calder
Kathryn Calder
2015

Going solo after being in the New Pornographers has always been an uphill battle for all those that have tried. It's not that the New Pornographers hold some kind of artistic rope around their former members, but it seems like Neko Case and others take their solo careers in a totally different direction than the New Pornographers ever went. Such is the same with Kathryn Calder. With this self titled sophomore release Calder writes simple and intimate songs that let you in to a very private world. Her singing for most of the album is at a very low level, almost like she is whispering something to you in secret. It is at the same time beautifully intimate and frustratingly small. That being said the songs do carry a great deal of weight, they truly mean something to her and in turn mean something to you. "When you See My Blood" does break this pattern and all but rocks out towards the end of the track.

This self titled LP is really a great little album. None of the music is going to have you dancing in the streets or singing for joy, but as an emotional highly feeling piece it truly does work.  Kathryn Calder does seems to have a great ability to write something true and affect you on a deep level without having to scream it in your face. My favorite track was "Pride in Design", it has a really interesting musical construction and really encapsulates the soft beauty that the whole album exemplifies. Kathryn Calder is a great record for a long drive, curling up next to a fire or just listening to on your own. Give her a shot, you won't regret it.

8 out of 10