FULL ALBUM STREAM: Bright and Vivid
VIDEO: “Who Are You?” (Dir. by Jesse Ewles and Cameron Tomsett)
Life is full of surprises. Nobody knows this more than Kathryn Calder. After years of playing in indie darlings Immaculate Machine, she found herself in the very unexpected position of being asked to record and tour with The New Pornographers. Before she knew it, she was inducted as a full fledged member of that group. In 2010 she once again surprised herself (and fans) by releasing her first solo album of her own compositions entitled Are You My Mother?, which would garner favorable press throughout the world and hinted a dizzying array of different avenues that the songwriter could explore in the future.
Written and recorded in a relatively short amount of time, Bright and Vivid is a masterfully refined piece of work that illustrates a maturation that can only come from intense growth and change. Somefolks break when too much happens in a short period of time, yet Calder reached deep within and manifested it into a striking gift for listeners.
The first thing you will notice from the onset of the first track “One, Two, Three” is that the production level is massive with layers upon layers of different shades of sound that continues to unfold with each listen. Not only is the production expansive, but the performances are precise. Kathryn is backed this go round by a newly minted band consisting of Lane Arndt, Stefan Bozenich and Marek Tyler. Additional parts were provided by friends and fans of Kathryn, including: Jon Wurster (Superchunk,Mountain Goats), Dean Tzenos (Odonis, Odonis), Jesse Zubot, Barry Mirochnik and Paul Rigby (Neko Case) and Ford Pier.
Fans expecting a straight ahead pop album will instead discover songs that are remarkably complex. The endlessly singable hooks are supported by intelligent songwriting and complex arrangements. Calder sums it up best….”I didn’t want to give those songs away too easily, I wanted people to wonder what was coming next, where the song was going.” This album defies ANY comparisons to Kathryn’s current association with The New Pornographers as well as her past history with Immaculate Machine. Kathryn has found her own beautifully unique voice… one that is best summed up by the title that she chose for her sophmore release, Bright and Vivid.
Tour Dates
11/26/2011 Victoria BC Lucky Bar
11/29/2011 Toronto ON Horseshoe Tavern
11/30/2011 Ottawa ON Raw Sugar Cafe
12/1/2011 Montreal QC Casa del Popolo
12/2/2011 Quebec QC Le Cercle
12/4/2011 Hamden CT The Space
12/5/2011 Boston MA Church of Boston
12/6/2011 Brooklyn NY Knitting Factory
12/7/2011 Philadelphia PA Johnny Brenda’s
12/8/2011 Arlington VA IOTA Club & Cafe
12/9/2011 Durham NC The Pinhook
12/10/2011 Atlanta GA Drunken Unicorn
12/11/2011 Knoxville TN Pilot Light
12/12/2011 Nashville TN The Basement
12/13/2011 St Louis MO Cicero’s
12/14/2011 Chicago IL Double Door
12/15/2011 Grand Rapids MI The Pyramid Scheme
12/16/2011 London ON Call the Office
12/17/2011 Waterloo ON Jane Bond Restaurant
Kathryn Calder
Bright and Vivid
(File Under: Music)
Street Date: Oct. 25, 2011
1. One, Two, Three
2. Who Are You?
3. Turn A Light On
4. Walking In My Sleep
5. All The Things
6. Right Book
7. New Frame Of Mind
8. City Of Sounds
9. Five More Years
10. Younger Than We’ve Ever Been
Links: Official Site//Twitter//Facebook//Myspace//Label