Friday, February 1, 2008

Kate Nash--I'm diggin' her sound


Comparisons are inevitable when discussing musicians. One band or singer inspires another and so on down the line. (Even an “original” has to find inspiration somewhere.) What then of one of my new favorite addictions? Well, as all the media is saying, and anyone with ears can tell, Kate Nash will have to be compared to Lily Allen. Of course, that is solid company to keep. It’s kind of an odd notion that two contemporaries would be compared, but that’s how it goes. And I’m not saying that one inspired the other, just that they’re similar.

What’s their sound? Poppy, good stories, simple melodies. Lily Allen is more cheeky than Kate Nash. Kate sings with a bit more conviction in a narrative voice. One thing that is noticeable from both singers is that you can actually hear their English accents, which makes their songs very distinctive. Think about how many Brits lose their accent (unless you really strain to hear it) when they sing. Can Kate and Lily both have been cut from the same cloth as The Slits (which is one of the first female Brit bands that jumps in my mind)? Not likely because The Slits were more on the ska/punk fusion end of things. Two other female English singers that hit it big in recent years were Lady Sovereign and M.I.A. And yes, I’m aware that M.I.A. is from Sri Lanka, but she is so via London. But those two can’t be confused with the singer/songwriter sensibility of Kate Nash and Lily Allen. They both rocked out in the hip hop style, with a touch of garage.

Kate Nash’s sound reminds me more of a poppier Kasey Chambers (Australian). The guitar has a solid bit of jangle to it and it’ll get your toe tappin. Kate also has some tunes that sound like they’re straight from the disco, or could turn into a nice disco remix. (Remember, discotheques are still popular in Europe.)

Anyway, just do yourself a favor and check out this video that has a medley of her songs from her album “Made of Bricks”. Have a listen and see what you think.

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