The Anchoress (musician)
| The Anchoress | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Glynneath, Wales |
| Genres | Indie rock, pop, |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Labels | Kscope (Link), Too Pure (Link) |
| Associated acts | Simple Minds, Paul Draper (Mansun), Bernard Butler (Suede) |
| Website |
www |
| Members | Catherine Anne Davies |
The Anchoress is the stage name of Welsh multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and author Catherine Anne Davies (aka Catherine AD) who currently resides in Buckinghamshire, England.
Biography
Davies formed The Anchoress in 2013. Paul Draper has co-produced The Anchoress's debut album, Confessions of a Romance Novelist, which is set for release on 15 January 2016 via Kscope.[1] [2] A second album will be produced by Bernard Butler.[3][4]
From March to Dec 2015, Davies performed in Simple Minds' live band, contributing additional guitar and keyboards.[5][6] She met Jim Kerr through The Dark Flowers collective.[7] She has also performed live with Ed Harcourt at Glastonbury Festival,[8] as well as Martha Wainwright.[9]
Musical style
Davies has been described by NPR's Ann Powers as "Wales's (much more explicitly feminist) answer to Lana Del Rey."[10] Davies cites Laura Nyro, David Bowie, Tom Waits, Prince, Kate Bush, Harry Nilsson, and The Carpenters as influences.[11]
Solo and Side projects
Previous to The Anchoress project, Davies self-released music under her own name and as Catherine A.D.
In 2009, Davies performed with London Philharmonic Orchestra as an artist-in-residence at London's South Bank Centre.[12][13] Through this role, she wrote with Riz MC and collaborated with Nitin Sawhney.[9][14][15]
Under the abbreviated A.D. guise, Davies released the single Carry Your Heart,[12] and a mini-album entitled Communion.[16] NME described Communion as an "understated but beautiful mini-album" when naming it one of the 20 best "cult/experimental" albums of 2011.[17] She also released a collection covers entitled Reprise.[18] The release featured re-interpretations of songs by Friendly Fires, Sleigh Bells, Nick Drake, Tracy Chapman, Bon Iver, Hurts, My Brightest Diamond, The Crystals, Nina Simone and The Magnetic Fields.[19]
Davies is also a member of The Dark Flowers "super-group".[20] The project was started by songwriter and producer Paul Statham in 2009.[21] She appears alongside vocalist's Jim Kerr, Kate Havnevik, Dot Allison, Peter Murphy, Shelly Poole, Helicopter Girl and Remi Roughe. In an interview with Clash, Davies said "It’s basically a project put together by a guy called Paul Statham who’s a songwriter/producer and he had this idea to make a dark country record, kind like ‘Paris/Texas’ soundtrack."[22]
Davies also appeared as a backing vocalist on Emmy The Great's debut single Secret Circus.
Writing
Davies has a PhD in literature and queer theory from University College London, and has published a book entitled Whitman's Queer Children about epic poetry through Bloomsbury Publishing.[7][23]
Davies has written about film-maker David Lynch for the NME,[24] and has interviewed Tori Amos[25] and Manic Street Preachers[26][27][28] for Drowned in Sound.
Discography
- What Goes Around - Too Pure Singles Club release, 7" (2014)
- One for Sorrow - Hiraeth Records, 12" EP (2014)
- Confessions of a Romance Novelist - Album (2016)
- TBC - Album (2016)
References
- ↑ Bridgewater, Paul. "The Anchoress debut album details". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- ↑ "Listen to 'Popular' By The Anchoress plus debut album details". The Quietus. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Anchoress working with Bernard Butler". The Anchoress. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ↑ "Bernard Butler reveals he's working with The Anchoress". Sonotronics. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- ↑ "Simple Minds: Big Music – behind the scenes". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ↑ Lester, Paul. "Blurred sidelines: meet the musicians who are doctors, gardeners and authors". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- 1 2 "Interview for SimpleMinds dot org". Simple Minds. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ↑ "Ed Harcourt & Catherine AD Collaboration". Ed Harcourt. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Emerging Artist in Residence". The Londonist. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
- ↑ Powers, Ann. "Musicians You'll Tell Your Friends About In 2015". NPR. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "The Anchoress biography". Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- 1 2 "Catherine A.D. talks about the brooding darkness in her Valentine's Day EP". Dazed & Confused. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ↑ "Escape Velocity in-depth interview with Catherine AD". The Quietus. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
- ↑ "AllMusic page for 'Sour Times' by Riz MC". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- ↑ "The Guardian's New Band of The Week". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
- ↑ "30 Seconds with... Catherine AD". PRS' M Magazine. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ↑ Doran, John. "The 20 Best Cult/Experimental Albums 2011". NME. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ↑ Boult, Adams. "This Week's Top 5 Music Links". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ↑ "Catherine AD - Reprise: The Covers Collection". Guardian Music. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- ↑ Gourlay, Dom. "Radioland by Dark Flowers album review". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ↑ Tuffey, Laurie. "Jim Kerr, Catherine AD, Dot Allison and Paul Statham tell The Quietus about their Sam Shephard-inspired collaborative LP". The Quietus. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
- ↑ Walker-Smart, Sam. "Ones To Watch: Catherine AD". Clash. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ↑ "Whitman's Queer Children: America's Homosexual Epics". Bloomsbury Group. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ↑ "The Music Of Twin Peaks Dissected: What Does 'Lynchian' Actually Mean". NME. Retrieved 7 Oct 2014.
- ↑ "Catherine AD meets Tori Amos". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
- ↑ "Nicky Wire on the Manic Street Preachers' return: Part One". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
- ↑ "Nicky Wire on the Manic Street Preachers' return: Part Two". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
- ↑ "Nicky Wire on the Manic Street Preachers' return: Part Three". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 15 June 2009.