Centella (2018)

Kate Stapley

Folk / Acoustic / Singer-Songwriter

Since almost a decade a woman tells her stories with her music, traveling the places as it was her wish and target. Encouraged by her father, she kept working hard, and like that found her way to the Weberknecht in Vienna where she played with Sól and The Boy I Used To Be and even more, after she sold her Debut EP named Centella.

The friendly woman called Kate Stapley likes to chat about her experiences on the road but also back in her home in Bristol and London. She seems glad she could play this gig and bring her music to new people, and with a smile she hands over the CD: “Let me know what you think.” The six-song-strong disc is in a simple slipcase in white with dark letters and an opulent picture showing Kate in a pompous dress with interesting items like bikes, plants and a piano.

Putting on the music, the first song “Iceland” instantly makes one think of “Febuary Stars” because of the soft chords. But instead of a rough men’s voice, the sweet musical underground gets filled with the light voice of Kate. In small doses, she took advantage of the possibilities of production, using delay, adding a second voice and instrumental upper voice and a trumpet. “There’s more for me”, seems like a kind of motto to her. It goes on with a song about her mother “Potted History Of Mum”. Generally the lyrics are pretty much personal. Compared to the two very calm first songs, “Irises” about her grandmother features a rougher guitar, reminding of e.g. the one of Wino plus this time a Violin makes the contrast.

Smooth transition to “Interlude”, the realization what Kate has got from her family: “I see you in me.” With “These Planets” the sound gets a little more pop music touch, with a very catchy chorus, making somehow think of Jessie Ware. The “Stabilisers”, to round the whole record up, is the song with the highest level of folk appeal, clear strings, another nice refrain and a strong second guitar melody, a tremendously vivid track for the end.