Search - Kate Tucker :: White Horses

Part Southern Gothic, part Northern hymn, Kate Tucker s new LP, White Horses, is a thorough exploration of the traditions that have shaped the Ohio-born, Seattle based artist since she sang her first song, at the age of nine, a cappella for an Easter Sunday congregation. Produced by Blake Wescott (Pedro the Lion, The Posies, Damien Jurado), White Horses moves from molasses-heavy rock to elegant, haunting ballads borne on the wings of Kate s fragile, but insistent voice. The songs are rooted in heartache, but nurtured by hope, exploring themes of love lost or betrayed and the possibility of new birth. Born into a family of long-distance truckers, Kate saw her first glimpses of American life from the window of her grandpa s semi. After studying literature in college, Kate spent a year busking in the streets of Paris before moving to Seattle. There she recorded her first solo EP, Eros Turannos, with Ryan Hadlock (Blonde Redhead, Regina Spektor) and went on to form Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden. Their self-titled debut was widely acclaimed, topping the blog charts, and landing spots on Starbucks compilations and television shows. The band toured extensively in support of the album, showcasing at CMJ, SXSW and Bumbershoot. In 2009, Kate parted with the Swedes to work on what would become White Horses. White Horses features an all-star cast of Seattle musicians including Blake Wescott, Casey Foubert (Sufjan Stevens, Crystal Skulls), Ty Baillie and Ed O Brien. The band relied primarily upon vintage instrumentation for the record, referencing George Harrison, Jackson Browne, Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac in arrangement sessions. Hammond B-3 graces nearly every track, while Abbey Road inspired guitars ring out dark and heavy. Literary influences exist alongside musical ones, in the voices of William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, Walker Percy and Pablo Neruda. A vague but compelling sense of narrative unfolds over the course of the twelve song sequence, cinematic in mood and color.