If you are looking for the perfect artist for the current age, one that blends the best of singer-songwriter traditions with quiet yet zeitgeist-busting pop-modernity, you have come to the right place. KAATWALK’s latest EP is a breath of fresh air; sure, there are echoes of what has gone before, but when she does touch on these familiar sonic oases, they are balanced by and cocooned in the most contemporary of vibes.
The opening title track is refreshingly real, a song sung in a language of today, about the moments and minutiae of everyday life, personal, relatable, and full of wit and wisdom, a lovely blend of Joni Mitchell serenity and Sheryl Crow honesty, a perfect blend of grace and groove.
“Home” is that brilliantly delicate ballad, sounding simple in its spaciousness, every gossamer line, every finger-picked cascade, a reminder that making something sound this simple is a complicated business, a soundscape of moods and memories, life and nostalgic thoughts.
“Open Your Eyes” is also a reminder, a more personal one, especilly if you know that she calls the Twin Cities home, a prayer for that part of the world in current times, but written in such a way that it applies to every troubled spot in the world, a delicate and emploring voice-banjo duet, as resonant as it is relevant, insightful, and, in its own way, gently incendiary.
The EP rounds off with the dulcet piano tones and love-letter lyrics to that one person who has always been there for you, emotive language that poetically and passionately merely says “Thank You For Being You,” but does so in a way that even her beautiful words can barely express. Even language has its limits, but emotions are boundless.
A Week in June is a gorgeous quartet of songs, and if, like me, this is your first encounter with KAATWALK, it is also the perfect prompt to go back and search out her back catalog… immediately.
