Being dropped by your record label can herald the destruction of an artist’s ambitions and self-confidence, but not so with Cathy Davey who has independently released what could well be her best work yet.
Dublin born Cathy Davey was signed to Parlophone’s Regal Recordings in 2002 after some of her home-recorded demos caused a bit of a stir in the industry,
igniting a label bidding war where the EMI subsidiary eventually pipped Rough Trade to her signature and all this before she had ever performed live on stage.
While her first album ‘Something Ilk’ made only a moderate impact on listeners, it was after the release of her second record, ‘Tales of Silversleeve’ that Davey’s confidence was boosted by extensive touring and radio support for songs like ‘Ruben’ and ‘Moving’ making her a household name.
As the record industry underwent financial crises in 2008, EMI dropped much of its roster leaving Cathy without a label and instead of letting the lack of financial support become an obstacle, she embraced her new-found independence, packed her bags and retreated to France to begin work on new material. Knowing very little French, she found herself recording in a setting that would come to influence the songs in many unexpected ways. Having spent many nights in “a quiet old house belonging to a quiet old widow”, she had time to develop her ideas and soak up the surrounding influences and to work in the space that the solitude of being a stranger in a strange land allows.
She returned “with a handful of joyful songs about love, absence and death”, and declared: “Silversleeve is grand, but I’ll do better this time”. The resulting album ‘The Nameless’ has just been released and you can catch Cathy Davey live this weekend in Dolans, this Sunday May 16. ‘The Nameless’ is out now in all good record stores.
Something Ilk (2004) A raw debut recording produced by Ben Hillier [Blur, Elbow & Clinic] in the classic guitar, bass drums arrangement, more of a rock record than anything subsequently released. Included the first hit single ‘Clean and Neat’
Tales of Silversleeve (2007) The title referred to Cathy Davey’s habit of not using a tissue as a snotty nosed kid. The album is a more confident and acoustic sounding effort with songs brougt to the studio fully formed from home demos. Containing subtle rhythmic textures the record spawned ready for radio hits ‘Moving’, ‘Ruben’ and ‘ Sing for your Supper’. A Choice Music Prize nomination and a Meteor award followed, prompting the Irish Times to state, “There’s no better female songwriter in Irish music right now”.
The Nameless (May 2010) So no pressure then for the follow up! The first single ‘Little Red’ is already a hit. This album has an ambitious production with sweeping dramatic arrangements showing a desire and confidence to make big songs that the record’s melodramas deserve. Neil Hannon lends his voice to ‘Army of Tears’ and could well have been an influence on the album’s expansive soundscapes heard on the track ‘Habit’ also a potential hit. But it is not all pomp and bluster as evidenced on the gorgeous bluesey ‘Bad Weather’. ‘The Nameless’ gets better with every listen as does the evermore assured and confident Cathy Davey.
