At the start of 2017, Catherine Traicos returned to the studio with a full band after a hiatus of four years from band work and one year from her solo work. Tomatrax caught up with Catherine to talk about her latest release.
You've just put out your latest album, how does it feel to have it out?a little surreal in a good way.
You said that the album almost did not get made, what inspired you to persevere to complete the album?I feel if I hadn't I would have sat on it forever and not been able to move on musically.
You also said about the title track that you wrote around 40 songs at the time but that it was the only one to survive, what happens to the songs that don't make it onto the album?they disappear into a vortex wherein reside single socks and ballpoint pens.
You've also said of some of the songs on the album that they were written at a "low point", is it hard to put songs this personal on show for everyone to hear?once you put that low point into music, it changes and becomes art, something else. So, no, it's not hard. Art is transformative.
You're performing with a full band for the first time in four years, what prompted the return to playing with a band?I like to mix it up, keep things fresh.
How does performing completely solo compare to being in a band?I often improvise when I play solo, there is more freedom to mess about with my songs and my voice. With a band though, it's a lot more fun and just working with people in that way, interacting in that space where sometimes you don't even look at one another, you're just listening and responding, that's powerful and inimitable (and the best).
You are paint as well as working in films and creative writing, how do these compare to making music?I kind of link a lot of stuff in my head so I don't believe that they're that disparate. They're all a process, a force and often it's hard and unrewarding but I wouldn't want to do anything other than be an artist of some description.
Is it hard to juggle your various passions?Yes.
Are there any plans to apply your creative writing towards a novel?Isn't everyone writing a novel?
Do you ever listen to your own music?Only when it is still a work in progress or if I need to remember a lyric for a live show.
What music do you listen to?I listen to a wide range. I love Angel Olsen's work, I listen to a lot of Bach, I really like Josh Ritter as well. Lately I've been overplaying Joanna Newsom and this weirdly hypnotic Bach sonata that's not very well known. Also Leonard Cohen's pretty good...
Now that the album is out what do you plan on doing next?Messing about. Singing in the shower. Catching up with musical friends and exploiting their talents. The usual.
Check out Catherine Traicos's website to find out more!
