The wait is over. To her growing pedigree of aspiring folk
singer-songwriter, architect of many sublime live performances and a curator of
an inaugural EP, Kitty Macfarlane is now the proud possessor of a stunning debut
album. NAMER OF CLOUDS hit the shelves on September 21st and
these will soon empty when word gets around of what a compulsive record she has
made. The eleven tracks are a subtle mix of solo compositions, co-writes and old
song arrangements, blending many facets of what keeps the folk tradition fresh
and vibrant without choking off the heritage.
Since first seeing Kitty play live a couple of years ago
when opening for Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, a keen ear has lent towards
her career. This further compounded when she played a headline gig at the
Kitchen Garden in Birmingham earlier this year, a show where many of the songs
from the new album had their introduction.
Joining Kitty on the album in one of the co-producing roles
is Sam Kelly, a musician from the same generation who is increasingly popping
up in collaboration on a scene gathering momentum in acoustic circles across
the land. No doubt leading much of the stringed accompaniment that engineers
the soundtrack has been the forte of Kelly and co-producer Jacob Stoney, but make
no mistake the stamp of Kitty’s gorgeous vocal acumen and imaginative approach
to song curation reigns supreme.
The natural world and the immediate surroundings of rural
Somerset play a strong role in forming the subject content of the album. While
not being unique to the West Country, the title track is quite literal in its
meaning as it provides focus on Luke Howard, a man responsible for coming up
with familiar name structure that is commonly attached to clouds and their
formation. Where else but folk music would such a subject be addressed in
song. ‘Namer of Clouds’ is one of
the album’s co-writes, a formula that also proves a winner when it comes to possibly
the standout track.
‘Sea Silk’ is the
mesmeric story that unfolds after Kitty and Sam embarked on a trail of an
ancient craft still practised in Sardinia. Meeting up with the last person on
earth to carry out a slice of textile weaving with a mythical past proved
fruitful. It even heralded the perfect field recording to introduce a song that
sparkles in the shade of the golden subject. The strong melody found in the
chorus provides the hook that carries the track further than just immersing
oneself into the curious story.
‘Man, Friendship’
sees Kitty draw inspiration closer to home as the flooding of the Somerset
levels in 2014 presented an opportunity to take an abstract view on it from the
comfort blanket of a reassuring song. Like much of the record, there are many
crevices to explore and you never feel that an extra spin is wasted.
Two tracks distinctly remembered from her Birmingham gig
earlier this year were ‘Starling Song’
and ‘Glass Eel’. The former opens the
album in a whirl of two-minute splendour, while the latter is forever memorable
as it pairs migration in the natural world with the human kind that has always
been pertinent in a fluid civilisation. These are two examples of Kitty in solo
writing mode, a skill in which obviously she excels. In fact, whatever the
source of, or inspiration for the songs, the execution creates a mystique and a
desire to delve deeper.
NAMER OF CLOUDS will grab the attention of media
influential in moving the career of Kitty Macfarlane forward, but more
importantly from a grounded perspective, it will resonate strongly in the ears,
heads and hearts of those active in pumping the heartbeat of the live music
scene. These folks put their money down and respect music in its most
connective form. The music of Kitty Macfarlane both soothes the mind and sparks
an element of curiosity. The album will confirm what folks in the know already
believe, and more widely, engage splendidly with any new converts taking a
peep.