Kat Wahamaa
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
At the intersection between folk, country and rock
Status:
Most recent release, Cascadia, 2000
See also:
Kat Wahamaa's CD Baby page
Comparisons:
The names of Connie Kaldor and the early Joni Mitchell come to mind, mainly because they too are (presently or formerly) folk artists from Canada. (mapravat@prairienet.org)
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
See album comments, below
Recommended first album:
Cascadia is the only one we've heard
Recordings:
- Wise Woman (1997)
- Cascadia (2000)
Cascadia
Release info:
2000—Inspirit Productions—KW815
Availability:
See Kat Wahamaa's CD Baby page
Ecto priority:
High
Group members:
Kat Wahamaa—vocals, harmony, guitar, mandolin, zilla
Guest artists:
Robbie Steininger—guitars, dobro, mandolin, banjo
Mike Flunkert—pedal steel, dobro, lap steel
Jesse Zubot—violin
Dave Clairmont—bass
Lauri Lyster—drums
Rene Worst—bass
Harriet Quint—bass
Jesse Warner—scratch
Rocko Vaugelos—harmony vocal
Bill Buckingham—guitar, keyboards, programming, percussion
Produced by:
Bill Buckingham and KW
Comments:
I am not making this up: this is the first album I have received through my work with the Ectophiles' Guide, to actually strike terror in my heart. When I opened the mailer, not only did the CD pop out, but a couple of Kat Wahamaa refrigerator magnets as well. Given the amount of magnetic media in and around my computer, I naturally got concerned, the packet having been sitting near them for a time. Happily, my anxieties appear to have been unfounded, and the principal content of the packet has made up for them by providing some very good listening indeed. At various times, her well-written songs come closest to—variously—folk, country, rock, and country rock. Some of them seem to have good commercial potential, but none are deliberately high concept. Some of the highlights include "Ashes to Ashes," a country-flavored lament for a marriage gone horribly wrong; the title song, a jocular ode to her home region (comprised of British Columbia and the U.S. Pacific Northwest); and "Stuck," an experiment in doing a more urban theme than most of her music, which comes out well. The promotional material which accompanied the CD notes that Cascadia is actually her second album. Hearing it has made me want to get the first one when I get the opportunity. (mapravat@prairienet.org)
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