Following a bit of a hiatus (while other life tasks got in the way of writing), I'm planning to post a short series of observations on some of my favourite singer-songwriters. Let's see how that goes ...
First up: Katherine Priddy. As I sit here trying to describe the amazing sounds she manages to conjure up in her work, I'm starting to feel the limits of the English language - it seems a bit lazy to describe her work as 'beautiful' and 'haunting'. But that's what it is. Her voice has that pure, Celtic-edged quality which brings out the intense poetry of her song-writing so well.
I've chosen Indigo (which I think was written a while back but is the first song to be released from her debut album, 'The Eternal Rocks Beneath', which comes out on 25 June 2021) - this is a beautifully-honed jewel of a song. It's traditional folk in the best sense of the word - a lilting musical story, sung tenderly and showcasing gorgeous finger-picked guitar.
On the single release that I've mostly been listening to (see the Spotify link embedded below) the song opens with birdsong and there's added depth and warmth from strings which build towards the end of the song, and are joined by multi-layered harmonies, to create something a bit more cinematic and intense.
Perhaps even better, though, is a simpler, solo version of the song recorded by Katherine for the For Folk's Sake website. Here, the song shines its own right, as does Katherine's incredibly skilled song-writing and unique delivery.
As I usually do, I'm trying hard to analyse what exactly makes this song stand out for me (apart from the obvious point of its sheer crystalline beauty and poetry). First, without realising it, I've gone and chosen another 6/8 tune (this is definitely turning into a habit for me). Another factor is the slow-down and slight pause before the chorus section of the song (starting with "To you ..." the first time around) - that subtle point of equilibrium when everything hangs in the balance for a few tantalising moments, before the song flows downwards again.
As mentioned, Katherine's album is coming out in June. Before that - 7 May - the second single from the album is being released. Check out her website for more information, including how to pre-order the album.
I'm really excited to be getting the chance to see her play live, at Folk by the Oak, in July.