Cate Le Bon

[The Mollusk]

Only recently checked out her music despite knowing about her for a while. I should have known it would be great since she's worked a lot with Tim Presley/White Fence who I think is fantastic and the closest thing we've got to a modern day Syd Barrett.

Anyway I got into her album Mug Museum and became instantly hooked, the sort of thing you can fall in love with from the first 10 seconds of the opening track, immediately really appealing. She's very similar to Weyes Blood and Aldous Harding, two artists I adore, with slightly off-kilter songcraft that is at once idiosyncratic, intriguing and gorgeous. Her voice is so strong and confident, really tight and intelligent harmonies and with a healthy whack of her Welsh accent pushing through it.

She's got some impressive credentials as a producer for other bands' albums such as Deerhunter and John Grant, too.

I've played her most recent album Reward a couple of times and I need to get into her other stuff but Mug Museum was such a strong entry point for me I can't help giving it repeat listens.

Are You With Me Now?

Home To You

[ArtParrott]

Mug Museum is greattand the follow-up Crab Day is easily strong I think. For me, Reward isn't as interesting as either of those as it's a bit too relentlessly mid-tempo for my liking.

The Drinks stuff with Tim Presley is fun if a a bit self indulgent, the album opener Laying Down Rock from the first album slaps though.

Also check out H Hawkline if you haven't already. Very similar songwriting styles, both Welsh, but he's a guy.

[Norton Canes]

Duke boasts one of the most incredible notes ever held

[Wayman C. McCreery]

A well-timed thread. It looks like she'll be releasing something new tomorrow: https://twitter.com/MexicanSummer/status/1447562645016510466

I'm a huge fan, and have been since I first saw her supporting Gruff Rhys in 2007. Reward is my album of the 2010s, and Mug Museum isn't far behind. They're both full of subtle, understated melodies alongside those skronky and discordant moments that make her records so thrilling.

If you haven't seen it, the Gruff-directed film of her performing Reward live is remarkable: https://youtu.be/qI9J5urlMrA

It took me a long, long time to get into Crab Day. It wasn't until I saw her on her most recent tour when she played What's Not Mine that I went back to it and the whole album clicked.

If you love Mug Museum then you should hear Solitude, which she put on a 7" that was only available to buy at her gigs: https://youtu.be/o7AA4RIzsrs

[Custard]

Yeah, she's very good. Really like her voice

Here's her collaboration with the Manics, 4 Lonely Roads
https://youtu.be/QhId0Sl4-ow

[Wayman C. McCreery]

New single: https://youtu.be/99VD4u4sFLY

[Head Gardener]

a mix fight to the death between Cate LeBon and Kim Deal

Kim Deal : Off You #
Cate LeBon : Me Oh My
Cate LeBon : CYRK
Kim Deal : Don't Call Home #
Kim Deal : S.O.S. #
Cate LeBon : Fold The Cloth - session
Cate LeBon : Duke
Kim Deal : Breaking The Split Screen Barrier @
Cate LeBon : Camelo - session
Kim Deal : Likkle More %
Kim Deal : Do You Love Me Now jr.? #
Cate LeBon : Day Trotter
Kim Deal : I've Been Waiting For You *
Kim Deal : The She #
Cate LeBon : Julia
Cate LeBon : Wild
Kim Deal : Lord Of The Thighs #
Cate LeBon : Eyes So Bright
Kim Deal : Into The White*
Cate LeBon : Running Away

* Pixies
# The Breeders
@ The Amps
% solo

listen

[SteveDave]

I wonder if she'll play Green Man next year?

[poodlefaker]

Mug Museum and Crab Day always remind me of Mulligan and O'Hare album titles, but yeah, I like the song that sounds like "Pink Frost" and the one that sounds like "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" and "Do You Love  Me Now"...

[the science eel]

'Home To You' is genius.

[Neomod]

I like her. Miami sounds like the soundtrack to Jolly Roger Bay on Mario 64.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

this new album's bloody great.

[bgmnts]

Just listened to some of her stuff.

Ambivalent so far but not too bad.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

this new album's bloody great.

My copy hasn't arrived yet, sadly - so I'll be waiting until at least Monday to hear it because I'm a square and want my first listen to be on vinyl.

How's it sounding? The singles suggest it's going to be very much Reward part 2, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but would be a bit of a surprise considering how much her sound usually evolves from one album to the next.

[bgmnts]

Just listened to some of her stuff.

Ambivalent so far but not too bad.

Yeah sadly not really for me, especially the album I presume just came out.

Maybe if I were 16 and just like getting into music and seeing what I like and all that it'd be good but not for me Clive. Shame.

[willbo]

I heard Moderation on radio 6 last year and really liked it, I've been meaning to get her new album at some point. She's worked with or toured with St Vincent a bit I think? I would say to the unimpressed on this thread to at least try something from every album before writing her off.

[The Mollusk]

I was hesitant based off a couple listens of the new singles but this album is flipping lush. Like the aforementioned Aldous Harding she is a real talent in that she can write songs which to the casual ear can sound quite middle of the road, but once you start paying closer attention the details which set her apart from many of her peers - notably the subtle but gorgeous vocal harmonies - start revealing themselves.

As I said in the OP, it was the interweaving dual guitar lines on "I Can't Help You" which instantly drew me in and made me realise she wasn't some pedestrian modern psych/folk chancer. She's marvellous.

The colourful ethereal atmosphere, woozy synths and horns on this new one create such a satisfying and consistent flow across the tracklist. Marvellous stuff.

[SteveDave]

I wonder if she'll play Green Man next year?

She is. Who'd have thunk it?!