Description
Fresh from supporting fellow Welshman Manic Street Preachers and performing to 35,000 people across the UK as main support and special guest on the Simple Minds acoustic tour, The Anchoress reissues her critically celebrated debut album at a special mid-price.
The Anchoress is the moniker of Welsh multi-instrumentalist Catherine Anne Davies. Her debut album, 'Confessions of A Romance Novelist', was first released in 2016 to widespread critical acclaim.
The album was named amongst the Guardian critics' Albums of the Year, won HMV's Welsh Album of the Year, Best Newcomer at the PROG awards, and a nomination for the Welsh Music Prize.
MOJO described Davies as being in possession of "a devastatingly powerful voice". The Observer called it "a blackly witty break up album...compelling", while PROG magazine described the record as "Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love updated for the 21st century".
The genre-hopping, expansive production of 'Confessions of a Romance Novelist' draws on influences as far and wide as Prince, Tori Amos, Roxy Music, The Carpenters, and David Bowie. On the album, Catherine plays a variety of instruments, including piano, guitar, flute, omni-chord, mellotron, wurlitzer, glockenspiel, and celeste, as well as sampling church bells, and an orchestra of typewriters.
The album features a guest performance from Paul Draper (ex-Mansun), who Catherine has recently been working with, co-writing and recording his forthcoming solo album 'Spooky Action' (due on Kscope in August 2017). She will be appearing as a special live guest as part of his sold-out tour this September.
The Anchoress recently recorded a special filmed acoustic session for the BBC iPlayer and was interviewed on STV's Live at 5. She also appears on the recently released BBC DVD performing a special guest tribute to David Bowie as part of Simple Minds' Radio 2 In Concert
The singles have received heavy rotation from BBC 6Music and been playlisted on Radio X. It lit up the web, going to number 2 on the HypeMachine and number 11 on the AppleMusic video chart, as well as being interviewed by The Quietus, Noisey & the Line of Best Fit.
Critical praise for the album:
"... a devastatingly powerful voice." MOJO
"One of 2016's most affecting records... a collection of songs that sets a high bar for intense, soul-tearing pop music. 9/10." THE LINE OF BEST FIT
"...Fascinating." SUNDAY TIMES
"...a blackly witty breakup album.." THE OBSERVER
"...Karen Carpenter singing John Grant." UNCUT
"...Hounds Of Love, updated for the 21st century." PROG
