Kat Terran
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Fierce evocative/eclectic, folk/rock alternative pop
Status:
Kat Terran currently puts her energy in a band, Wind Burial, formerly Snowdrift; most recent solo release, Lion & Blue (2002)
See also:
CD Baby's Kat Terran pageFormer band, Snowdrift (MySpace page, Ectophiles' Guide's page) has morphed into Wind Burial (Artiste Card site, facebook page, reverbnation page, CD Baby page)
Comparisons:
At times she reminds me of Tamara Williamson of Mrs Torrance, or Kristin Hersh, or Sarah Harmer, at others there's a touch of Kathleen Yearwood, particularly in her vocal delivery. (Neile)
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
The moment I put Kat Terran's Lion & Blue in my disc player I knew I was hearing something special, and repeated plays and acquiring a copy of her first self-titled ep has only strengthened that certainty. Even on first hearing, her songs lodge themselves in my mind. It's hard to figure out exactly what it is about her music that catches me so strongly: her vocals can be rough-edged and can move from sweet to harsh within a phrase; her songs take unexpected turns but also have clear melodies; the ornamentation of the instrumentation around the melodies (and of her voice) can be unusual. The topics of her songs range a lot, too, and they tend to have the allusive quality of lyricists like Kristin Hersh and Tori Amos, rather than straightforward one-dimensional meanings and symbolism of mainstream pop tunes. Because of this I tend to find her songs make me want to pay attention to them, and whether or not I understand them directly, their emotional impression is powerful. (Neile)
Recommended first album:
Lion & Blue
Recordings:
- Kat Terran ep (2002)
- Lion & Blue (2002)
Kat Terran ep
Release info:
2002
Availability:
Limited; check website for contact info for availability
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Kat Terran—vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
Guest artists:
Derek Terran—bass, drum
Produced by:
Alicia Healey
Comments:
This is a limited-release 4-song CDR, which shows Kat Terran's more mournful side. Despite the sad tone, the songs are still lively and catchy, and I have a difficult time deciding which is my favourite as I like them all—all four have the strong hooks, and the more you listen to them the more deeply they stick in your head. I highly recommend this ep. (Neile)
Lion & Blue
Release info:
2002—Little Roar Records
Availability:
See website or CD Baby for availability
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Kat Terran—vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
Guest artists:
Derek Terran—electric bass, percussion, electrica and classical guitars, organ, samples
Martin Cartillo—drums on 1 track
Tony Jamesbarry—upright bass, saw
Cat Kinsey—cello
Himena Viner—violin
Joe Hollinsworth—trombone
Produced by:
Robert Bartleson
Comments:
This a strong, mature collection of songs. I find it instantly compelling: a combination of beautiful, meditative, lovely moments with tough, driving tunes. It adds up to an impressive collection; like the previous ep I find myself listening to each song and declaring it my favourite—at least until I hear the next track. The songs range widely: the tracks are the eastern-European feeling "Aspen Tree" through the lilting "Curious Girl", the gently driving "Baltic Soldier", the dreamy "Iris", the slow bending "Caravan", the lovely garden-y "Southeast Window", the powerful "Boa Constrictor", the melancholy "Three Friends", the eerie "Dolls", the gorgeous "The Sea", and the playful "Daydream in the Afternoon". As you can see there are many flavours here, all united by Kat Terran's lovely guitar work and her scratchy, evocative vocals. Highly, highly recommended. (Neile)
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