One For The Weekend: Caitlin Rose & Courtney Marie Andrews

Here's Caitlin Rose and Courtney Marie Andrews performing "Getting It Right" off Caitlin's new album, CAZIMI out Nov. 18th.

Caitlin Rose shares equine-enchanced clip for "Nobody's Sweetheart"

"Nobody's Sweetheart" is off Caitlin Rose's forthcoming CAZIMI album due November 18th. You can pre-order it right here.

Here's the scoop...
The latest release from Nashville-based Caitlin Rose, CAZIMI captures a voice which is equal parts honeyed and world-weary, and sees her singing self-aware songs of self-destruction, documenting proclivity and impulse control, bad habits in life and in romantic pursuits. She skips across genres, combining new wave influences with pop stylings and the melancholy folk songwriting that made her such a staple of the Nashville rock scene. 

Check out the video for "Nobody's Sweetheart" followed her previous single "Black Obsidian" below.

 

Caitlin Rose opening for Brian Fallon @ Danforth Music Hall, Tuesday

Don't miss Nashville's fabulous Caitlin Rose making a rare Toronto appearance at the Danforth Music Hall. 

Caitlin & Henry vs. Nancy & Lee

Henry Wagons joined Caitlin Rose for a sweet duet of Summer Wine in Melbourne last night.

Caitlin Rose launches NoiseTrade's Eastside Manor Sessions in style

For the inaugural release of NoiseTrade's Eastside Manor Sessions, the soulful sounds of Nashville's Caitlin Rose were captured for an exclusive live performance EP which you can download here. Backed by a top-notch band of players she had hand-picked solely for this session, Caitlin re-imagines songs from her latest album, The Stand-In, dressed in a vintage country vibe.

In addition to the digital EP, check out the accompanying short film for an inside view of the proceedings during Caitlin's wonderfully relaxed session interrupted with annoying questions from a novice interviewer.

See Caitlin Rose @ The Garrison Friday

Fast-rising Nashville starlet Caitlin Rose unveils her fab new disc The Stand In at The Garrison.

Caitlin Rose hits the Garrison April 5

After wowing 'em in Austin, Caitlin Rose unveils her fab new album The Stand-In at the Garrison.

Watch Caitlin Rose's Only A Clown video

Only A Clown is taken from Caitlin Rose's forthcoming album The Stand-In due March 5

New Caitlin Rose album due in March

Some good news for Caitlin Rose fans, her new studio album The Stand-In is finished and scheduled for release by ATO Records on March 5, 2013. The much anticipated follow-up to her promising but under-performing debut Own Side Now, The Stand-In includes two songs co-written with Gary Louris and a cover of the Felice Brothers' Dallas. Here's the press release followed by the fab first song from the sessions to be released, No One To Call:

Still only 25, the scope of Caitlin Rose's progression as an artist is palpable from the outset, and she happily concurs. “This album could be considered my first attempt at a high kick,” Rose says, acknowledging Own Side Now as a much more small scale and pared down recording. “We're not aiming to make indie-sounding records. How boring would that be?”

Incorporating classic influences from her Nashville roots with a modern pop twist, Caitlin's vocals soar over lyrics that seem to possess the wisdom of an old soul. It was a daunting endeavor to follow up Own Side Now, the brilliant debut that landed her on countless year- end best of lists, including Time Magazine’s # 7 Albums of 2011, American Songwriter’s Top 50, CMT’s 10 Most Overlooked Albums and SPIN’s 20 Best Country and Americana Albums, but Rose has delivered a masterpiece that promises the type of career longevity that most young artists can only dream of attaining.

Crafted with Nashville producers Jordan Lehning and Skylar Wilson (Justin Townes Earle), featuring two songs co-written with Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), The Stand-In came together and took form as a team effort, strengthened by a longtime friendship with band mates Jeremy Fetzer and Spencer Cullum. Inspired by classic country musicians, misunderstandings, break ups, mystical landmarks and the constantly evolving landscape of the Nashville music scene,

The Stand-In is an ambitious record, a testament to Rose's bold approach and strength as a songwriter. With a trademark punch that the New York Times once likened to a young “Patsy Cline learning to howl”, Rose’s fiery disposition shines through on rollicking tracks like “No One To Call” and “Waitin’,” songs that possess a huge sound and a whole lot of character. Never the type to be one-dimensional, Rose wears her heart on her sleeve on candid serenades like “I Was Cruel” and sentimental ballads like “Pink Champagne” or “When I’m Gone.” And true to form, Rose includes a brilliant cover on The Stand-In, this time of The Felice Brothers’ single, “Dallas.”

When evaluating Rose’s historic love affair with reinventing classic songs, the term “cover” seems like a bit of an understatement. With her past renditions of songs like Fleetwood Mac’s “Things Change” and Arctic Monkeys’ “Piledriver Waltz”, Rose demonstrates an undeniable knack for choosing unexpected gems that result in a unique interpretation that can stand up to the original. As Rose noted, “I’ve got a big personality when there’s room for it.”

No One To Call by Caitlin Rose
  

Caitlin Rose covers Arctic Monkeys for RSD

In trying to come up with a worthwhile release for Record Store Day, someone at Domino hit on the boffo concept of having Nashville's fabulous Caitlin Rose work her magic on two atypical ballads from the Arctic Monkeys. When Alex Turner’s Piledriver Waltz first appeared in the British film Submarine as a bittersweet acoustic love song, and then took another swing at it for the Monkey's Suck It and See album, it was painfully clear that a singer with real pipes could do a much better job of it.

Caitlin Rose’s inspired overhaul transforms the song into a country rock ballad with tasteful pedal steel guitar licks accompanying her soaring voice recalling Linda Ronstadt at her top dollar best. An equally elegant recasting of the Monkeys' Love Is A Laserquest as a honkytonk heartbreaker is guaranteed to put a tear in your beer. Both songs will appear on Caitlin Rose's limited edition 7-inch single in a generic Domino sleeve for Record Store Day only.

Caitlin Rose is currently in the studio recording the followup to her critically acclaimed debut, Own Side Now. Those who aren't completely creeped out by clowns should check out Caitlin Rose's video for Piledriver Waltz below.


Piledriver Waltz by Caitlin Rose

How many music execs does it take to hear a hit?

My Darling Clementine's Michael Weston King and Lou Dagleish

While those in charge of struggling record labels like to blame their financial woes on illegal downloading, the real reason many are facing difficult times has more to do with a fundamental lack of vision and what people in the music business call "ears."

It's difficult for well-compensated executives to admit this but the majority of those who have signing authority simply wouldn't know a great recording if they heard it. And even if someone still working for the label did, they're now too scared to pull the trigger for fear of their capital investment wouldn't be instantaneously profitable.

Take for example the illuminating case of My Darling Clementine, the inspired male/female country duet project of UK singer/songwriter Michael Weston King and his wife Lou Dagleish. Their impressive debut disc How Do You Plead? (Drumfire) has received rave reviews across the board from venerable print publications and music blogs alike and continues to get the sort of BBC support that's very unusual for something with a twang. Yet so far, King still hasn't been able to curry any label interest in a North American deal. Everyone he's corresponded with has apparently shrugged off the offer of a finished album that's already been critically acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic. "Thanks, but no thanks."

That might be understandable if Americana mainstays like say Bloodshot, New West, Lost Highway, Sugar Hill or Rounder already had their own top-selling male/female duet acts that could write, record and perform their own material but the fact is, they don't. Moreover, even if you put aside that radical duets concept, the sophisticated level of compositions, arrangements and musicianship on How Do You Plead? puts My Darling Clementine's debut ahead of 90% of those labels output over the past decade.

It makes you wonder what other great Americana talents U.S. major indies have foolishly slept on – well, apart from The Walkabouts, Dylan LeBlanc, The Rizdales, Caitlin Rose, The Pining, Alela Diane, Scotty Campbell, etc.

An early Christmas gift from Caitlin Rose

Snow or not, it's that time of year when holiday-themed collections start to appear. Although most of them won't be terribly exciting, the wonderful people at forfolkssake.com had the very good sense to invite Caitlin Rose to contribute a waltz-time corker which automatically makes their 12-track For Folk's Sake It's Christmas 2011 CD way above the seasonal expectations. And the rest of the stuff by Howard Carter, Leisure Society, Paper Aeroplanes, Fiona Bevan, The Hollows, Laura Boyle and others is nearly as swell. Have a listen for yourself right here. It should also be noted that proceeds from the sale of the limited run digipak disc (400 copies) – which comes with a snazzy sleeve designed by Amber Cassidy  – are being donated to the UK's Integrated Cancer Centre (www.alumni.kcl.ac.uk/icc). Check out You Never Come Home For Christmas by Caitlin Rose with Keegan DeWitt below: