Kathryn Williams - The Quickening

I’ve only wonderful things to write about Kathryn Williams’ new record ‘The Quickening’. Whilst it’s easy to have a soft spot for dainty folk- the audible equivalent of wistfully gazing into candle flames- this album is all the more marvellous for being filled with unpretentious, devilishly pretty music.

Each song possesses an airy grace, and a pace as slow as the closing of heavy eyelids: consequently the whole record seems to twine into a wonderland of slow yearning. There’s humour there too though, the light hearted merriment of ‘Wanting and Waiting’, mixes against songs that sound like sighs of self-reflection.

Kathryn’s voice beguiles through simplicity, her songs are personal without being navel gazing, and the music grows to envelope the space you're in; one minute it’s a nice song in the background, next you’ve been charmed into paying attention to it alone. Great stuff; out in February, and she's touring too.

Here she is on a previous outing with Neill MacColl...

Friday Pop

I'm listening to Candi Payne's excellent 2007 album 'I Wish I could Have Loved You More'. Nice pop music for a Friday; something you can sing along to but still take yourself seriously as a music snob. Mind you, I sing along to Dolly Parton at times, off-key and totally without irony.

Other pop tunes I'm enjoying as I bustle about...

The Rezillos cover of Last of the Secret Agents - looks like one of the band has skinned a muppet....

And, No One Takes You Home by Kathryn Williams

Tonight I'm off to Cardiff to laugh at Mark Watson, which is okay, he's a comedian, a wonderful one at that (who makes the world substantially better), and I've paid for the privilege. Afterwards there may be chess and some drinks, or some storming to the train station and sulking at home (with a consolation pizza - a large one).

It could go either way but I'm all set. I'm oozing deliberately casual in cardigan that looks as if it could have been an Oxfam donation from Kurt Cobain, but underneath I'm a bundle of anticipation/nerves; fed up of let downs and, let's be oh so melodramatic here... false hopes. I'm tired, I really need some nice times and a laugh but I'll settle for winning at chess. At least twice.

Or that pizza and extra olives.