CATHY DAVEY

 

I was driving somewhere recently, listening to the soft, dulcet tones of Philip King on RTE Radio 1 programme South Wind Blows. Philip has been around in the arts world for at least the last twenty years. His roles have included film producer/director, music producer, songwriter, musician and radio broadcaster. He possesses an engaging style of delivery, and plays a varied menu of music.

As per normal, my senses were multi-tasking. I had one ear on the radio, the other on the conversation I was having with myself; one eye on the road and the other on the fields, clouds and hedgerows. Suddenly all my senses were alerted and focused on a piece of music that I hadn't heard before. I was blown away by its exciting, exhilarating rhythm, her unique singing, and its 'hook' (really good song has a 'hook' - The thing that grabs you!) comes in a 'chorus of cello' (cello and saxaphone have to be two of the most sensual instruments). The title of that song is Army of Tears, which went straight to No. 1 in the Irish charts. The cellos really do provide a sense of 'marching'. ...quite wonderful!

Whilst buying a CD for my dad for Father's Day, yesterday, I spotted Cathy's latest album The Nameless,  which includes the track Army of Tears and just had to buy it. I was able to play the whole CD on my way to rehearsals in Cork, today. It really is something else! She has written and produced this album. Not only that, she played most of the instruments to boot! I find all the tracks appealing in their diversity of style. I suppose if I had to pick favourites, they would be Army of Tears and Lay your Hand. Her vocals remind me a little of Kate Bush, who was way ahead of her time in musical terms. Cathy Davey is a force to be reckoned with, and I think she is going to be a huge star! Her lyrics are beautiful:

LAY YOUR HAND

Oh I don't know how you're supposed

To relay the complicated message of

Desire. No I don't know how to do it when

You look at me, I look away. We've nowhere 

to go and nothing to say.

Lay your hand on me, see if it belongs.

We're all tangled up in evolution,

Can't work out the simplest of sums.

Lay your hand on me and no-one could 

Deny, there lies the vital information,

So eloquently put that it could

Make you sigh.

Everyone knows that delicate time

When all you want is lying beyond your

Finger tips. But language is hard, lanuguage

is cold, language is too rude and 

Angular. No no we need another method

For our lips.

So lay your mouth on mine and no-one

Could deny there-in lies a friendly

Explanation of how the fundamental 

Laws apply.

Lay your mouth on mine and I wont 

Ask again if you only do this one

Thing for me. No question worth

Asking would remain. 

Lay your hand on me. 

Says it all ... the ineloquence of words! Thank you Mr. Philip King for introducing me to Cathy Davey, an Irish girl, from Dublin. I am hooked!

Ciao for now!