Katie Buchanan – Glow

From the opening track that opens warm like a flower in the morning sun “Honey, Don’t”  has the power to draw a listener into a vacuum of colorful melody, structured intensely with brilliantly layered vocals and fuzzy guitars — all supported by a scuffling drum beat. Katie Buchanan may have been around earlier – but here, Katie Buchanan has arrived. 

This has folk-Americana-country wrapped tight in the tradition of pure rock. It almost sounds like a reversal. Rock is usually the descendent of country, blues, folk and roots. But this has elements that suggest what would have been had her kind of music come first. You could just about pick out the influences like whiskers on a man’s chin.

This music taken as a whole is like putting oil in vinegar: the music stays separated until it’s mixed up to the delight of the diversified and disciplined ear. This album’s music has been shaken and it’s fizzling and sizzling — stand back.

“Glow In the Dark”  imitates a spare, slender approach but it’s not spare at all. It unravels like an informal folk-rock bolero as various instruments are added slowly to build not only momentum but excitement. Again, Katie uses a scuffling drum – surrounds it with a myraid of crunchy guitar notes and her angelic voice is generously dipped in the sweetest sins she can afford. It makes this effort enthusiastically refreshing. You can pour stuff like this on me anytime. 

It’s these under the radar artists like Katie Buchanan that renew my belief that in the right hands rock is not dead so long as it’s presented on a plate of spicy true blues tradition with just the right garnish of folk, roots, country and yes — a little electronica. The Americana will follow and it will embellish it beautifully.

“Gold,”  is mixed in a manner that the musicians (I’m laughing to myself because according to the credits, except for “Who You Were Before,” where Joe Gerst, Jr. lays down some pedal steel, all the instrumentation is played by Katie herself, all, as in everything. If she is playing it all on keyboards that’s fine. She still had to envision it all before playing it, right?) As I was saying, the “musicians” — are mixed in the shadows and Katie’s sexy vocal with a disciplined aim dances around the instrumentation like a whirling dervish. The vocal style here is impeccable. Katie has a wonderful way of sustaining notes, pronouncing certain words, pacing herself and making this all quite an original musical birth. I usually don’t care much for electronics in music but Katie has found a way to balance it, use it as a musical instrument and not a tech tool. She’s like a chef who could make liver and onions flavorful.

The next track is more commercial and less experimental. “Why You Leave A Heart,” is hummable, catchy and has a smooth “oh, uh, uh, oh…”  hook that is resounding. It’s a driving tune, typical of the very best singles that were produced in the 1960’s and made the top ten consistently. Played and played until they became part of your youth and the umbilical chord to your era. This has a bit of Taylor Swift sweetness, but under the surface there’s that tough-girl attitude as developed by the classic Mary Weiss — lead singer of the legendary Shangri Las. A bunch of girls who knew angst, sadness, and also could throw an upper cut. 

The song segues seamlessly into track five — “Anchor,” with both what sounds like those old electronic LINN drums of decades ago and used by many, many new wave rockers. Yet, here – the inclusion of what sounds like real drums shoulders its way in slowly as well – a nice joining of skins so to speak. Again, there’s the ghost of The Shangri-Las not influencing Katie so much as hovering over her like angels. 

The song transcends old styling’s. The lyrics are poetic, the arrangement sullen, deep and tight. Katie’s vocals figure prominently. It’s sung with a subdued seriousness and Katie’s command of putting the inflection on just the right words elevates this song beyond a mere hit record. This could easily be reinterpreted by a jazz singer with just a grand piano, an upright bass and a small drum kit. This song could give you goose bumps. The power of it is in it’s gentleness. 

“Wish It On,” slows the pace down. Katie’s voice begins to suggest how good a middle-of-the-road pop singer Katie could be. The drama, tension and the essence is enticing. What would I do to make it even better? Except for the guitar parts, eliminate the electronics this time. Make room for a supporting warm saxophone, or trumpet. The melody aches for some instrumental with warmth. The electronics could come in to usher the song out at the end and add some further dimension and depth. The sincerity in Katie Buchanan’s voice toward the end is wrenching and the combination of the two would be the icing on the “Wish It On,” cake. As far as the electronics? They should act as the candles — and the candles are usually removed before anyone samples the cake. That’s my point.  

“I Know,” has that tinny rockabilly style guitar lead simulating a bass guitar. It’s jumpy like some old blues records from the 60’s and Katie’s voice is Dave Edmunds cool with a Patti Smith snarl. This song has the heart of The Stray Cats in a 1960 Corvette while Katie has chosen to take her dad’s 50’s refurbished hot rod with its modified V8 engine in it – and a Rat Fink toy on the dash. All leather and lace for certain. What am I talking about? Everyone eventually wants to try and capture a drop of the retro coolness that was the 50’s and early 60’s. This is Katie’s reach for the fuzzy dice. (She got them).

Katie puts the brakes on with “Once,” and this song also has the smell of a slow dance on the gym floor in 1958 in those black and white saddle Oxfords. But this is not retro. This is the same girl all these years later standing in the parking lot remembering. The little story she unfolds is poignant and despite being in 2015 – applicable in a big way. There is no shame in reminicing. “I’m a patch work heart and I’m starting to fray….”  

An absolutely brilliant lyric. 

Track 9 has a guest appearance by pedal steel musician Joe Gerst, Jr. The song uses the electronics a little less sparingly and Katie’s voice is surrounded by warmer instruments. Oh, the electronics are there for effect, but their roles are like sprinkles on ice cream. The drums were mixed in that similar excellent style that Liberty Records used back in the 60’s. Maybe it’s coincidence and was never intended but that was the recollection it provided for me. I think Liberty’s secret back then was in its high fidelity. Bobby Vee had it on the finale of “Walkin’ With My Angel.” Drums sounded full on those records. Totally lost on any remixes. 

Katie has a “sister” in the spirit of this music with Christine Ohlman. Her “Deep End,” which was recorded on Alternate Root TV — performance available on YouTube and No Depression — while not as experimental and challenging as Katie, they do seem perfect for each other.

Christine is more bluesy, acoustic and seasoned with the more harder side of the life this music transcends. But, give Katie a few years and even without a beehive hairdo and Raybans — she will be at that level. Christine’s “Love Makes You Do Stupid Things,” is also so Katie. These two would be two lit matches next to a stream of gasoline. Forgive me for the comparison but I am thrilled when I segue these two women together. Their voices are so soulful coming from a rocky place.  

The final track “Run,” starts out with that fuzz-toned guitar sound that is basically Katie’s signature sound for this LP – and she is in total control.

It’s never so big that you can’t appreciate the true artistry which is Katie’s vocals unstitching the lyrics from the fabric of the melody. In this particular song she has a Kurt Weill-Bertolt Brecht style going on. It’s 50% Patti Smith and 50% Marianne Faithful vocally. But, the music is that strange and delightful carnival eerie “Mack the Knife” – “Three Penny Opera” atmosphere. This is an upbeat song that see-saws through emotions and the sound is reminiscent of a calliope.

Again, the layering of instruments and sound is a thrill ride controlled solely by one Katie Buchanan. As the song blossoms in your ears it leaves behind a little emotional rush — Katie saved the best for last. 

That’s the whole of “Glow.”

A thoroughly enjoyable collection all written, produced and performed by Katie Buchanan. 

The copy of the CD package I have appears to have what appears to be 4-color black & white images. It doesn’t go into detail about where the material was recorded.

Originally from Kansas, Katie makes her home in New York City now. Though her music does have a little Midwestern sugar in it, her gene-splicing of that culture with her edgier metropolitan “Glow” inspiration has produced quite a remarkable presence in her music. The girl’s got the goods — and she is prolific.

The ten tracks on the album were mixed by Gio Lobato and mastered by Doug Schadt.

Photography was courtesy of Lexi Lambros.

Website:  http://www.katiebuchanan.com/

Bandcamp: http://katiebuchanan.bandcamp.com/

You Tube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/KatieBuchananMusic

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review / commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as reference and will be removed on request. YouTube images are standard YouTube license.

John Apice / No Depression / March 2015