Labels: Orindal
Review by: Oli Saunders
This is a reissue of Dear Nora’s second album, originally released in 2004, and it is the first time I’ve heard them. Katy plays simple but varied folk across twenty tracks. She has a soft and interesting voice and the songs are short bursts, each one unique. I’d liken it to Graham Repulksi in this aspect – some tracks finish when they just seem to have got started or are just a single idea played out before moving onto the next (for example, ‘Give Me Some of Your Love’). She’s not afraid of throwing in additional experimentation either: ‘West Nile’ is a thirty second electric guitar riff that seems a little out of place but keeps me interested. It gets weird in places: the lyrics to track thirteen are simply ‘You Are a Bear’ repeated over and over. ‘Hung Up’ is a more normal track and a highlight, as is ‘Suicide Song’. I need to give this a few more listens to decide how much I really like it but it makes a good first impression.
7th May 2017