sky larkin – and so she thinks

A chat with…Harkin

admin — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 18:00:46 +0000

After recently announcing her debut self-titled album, Harkin is sharing new single Up To Speed from the record, which is due out April 24th via Hand Mirror. Long a fan of Katie Harkin’s music, right from the days of Sky Larkin, I had a chat to find out more…

So you’ve been around a while, since your early days with Sky Larkin. Yet your self-titled album is your debut. Has it felt a long time coming?

It has! But I didn’t want to make any compromises, and I was making it in secret for such a long path of the gestation, so the record took its own natural path until it was done.

Why did you decide to set up via the label Hand Mirror, which will also have literary and event outputs, with your partner Kate Leah Hewet?

Culture has been emotional scaffolding for me my entire life, it has made the world porous and open. We want to now in turn be able to offer that scaffolding for others.

You wrote the album in a remote cottage in the Peak District. What did that offer you that travelling around the world didn’t?

It kept my ambition in check, the city fuels the ambition for the man made, to awed by the highest building. Whereas out in the peaks my sense of awe came from things I could never hope to replicate. I love touring but it was thrilling to be based somewhere that felt untameable.

What have you learned in your years in the music industry?

Hmmm, remember when to take a break! I’ve certainly run myself into the ground to the point of hospital visits before, not wise.

You have been a touring member of Sleater-Kinney, Wild Beasts, Flock of Dimes, and Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett. How is it different from being in your own band or performing for yourself?

It’s wonderful to be given the keys to wander around in someone else’s music, it’s been a great education as a self taught guitarist! I could’ve have asked for better teachers, I’m very grateful.

Sorry to mention it, but Covid-19. You’re obviously rescheduling gigs and changing plans at the moment. There are loads of free streams and great initiatives coming together. How do you think the coronavirus crisis will impact music in the long term?

The true magnitude of this global crisis is, at the time I write this, yet to reveal itself. So it’s hard to know how to answer this question. At this stage there are a lot of wealthy high profile artists streaming lots of performances for free , which is providing entertainment for people, but normalizing a culture of free content doesn’t help smaller working musicians. It’s tough, I click on those videos like everyone else! Also looking forward, in order to support artists we also have to support infrastructure, the small venues that foster culture are part of our ecosystem, we’re all connected.

The wireless this week

admin — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 19:58:55 +0000

The wonderful Drew Worthley plays us some of his inspiring and intimate tunes whilst chatting away, full of charm and intelligence. I also play the following songs…

Sky Larkin – The Day The World Turned Day Glo
Molly’s Lipps – Scars
Drew Worthley – Bone China Saviour
Coves – Beatings
The Orwells – In My Bed
Happy Families – New Forgetting
Flash Bang Band – If You’re Driving
Drew Worthley – Angel Wharf
Paint The Dark – Lariat
White Fever – Skeleton Disease
Woman’s Hour – Thunder
Virals – Gloria

Thoughts & Rhythms – October 4th 2013 by Francesca Baker on Mixcloud

Sky Larkin: wave after wave of brilliance

admin — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 18:55:09 +0000

Given that they are about to kick of their UK tour to support new album Motto, the one subject to rave reviews, 8/10 ratings and general buzz, Katie Harkin, founder, writer, singer and guitarist of Sky Larkin would be forgiven for feeling nervous or frantic, buzzing about the attention she is receiving and anxious as to how to perform to the level of the bar that has been set. As it is we are sat downstairs in The Lexington, munching chips, chatting away. Only after twenty minutes or so, when soundcheck is upon them, do we realise that there has been no question and answer situation, but a genuinely nice conversation. The gregarious and lovely Katie is chatty, happy, and quietly welcoming, saying thank you at any mere hint of praise, suggesting that not only are they one of the most exciting bands on the scene, but one of the nicest.
Today they have been playing an acoustic session for This is Fake DIY, something she describes as ‘odd for band like us, but nice.’ Loud and proud, their sound is not one that would immediately translate to acoustic, but she ‘enjoyed it. There is so much muscle memory to music, and you get used to physically playing live, so it is nice to strip it back to the song. I don’t want to be bound up in the athleticism of it all, and that isn’t why I play the way I play. Just because we can play really fast and loud now, but that doesn’t always mean that we should!’
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EycdIduOb70&w=560&h=315]
The way she plays is vibrant and vital, and the new songs have a rush of urgency that is immediate as well as intimate. It has always been this way, for both debut album The Golden Spike in 2009 and 2011 sophomore Kaleide, but the writing process for Motto accelerated the level of intensity and sound. Written whilst Katie was touring for twenty months with fellow Yorkshire band Wild Beasts, there was a need for immediacy and as she testifies, ‘there is nothing like a final boarding call or a limited few days back at home’ to force you to write.’
Whilst writing was done on the road, recording happened back in the band’s hometown of Leeds. The Leeds music scene is one that she rightly has a lot of pride in, the home leg of this tour at the legendary Brudenell Social Club being ‘the only place to be’ although confesses that she finds the hostessing element sometimes stressful. Just a day before they donated t shirts from their first album The Golden Spike to local record shops Jumbo and Crash. ‘We’re so lucky to have two independent music shops. There are cities that have massive universities that don’t have record shops. Can you believe that? Only HMVs.’
Sky Larkin’s place in the hierarchy of music is an odd one. They have been around for nearly five years, and are signed to mighty label Wichita, home of The Cribs, Los Campesinos, and Frankie & The Heartstrings, yet are still moderately small. Part of the reason for this is that although the band is ‘old’ they are ‘young.’ Right from the get go with debut single Fossil I they picked up attention from such a young age, being suddenly cast into the indie public eye right from the start, when Nestor was still at school and Kate had just started university. People shouldn’t put too much weight upon their age though. As Kate says, ‘we were just that age. We were lucky in many ways that we got attention so close to the start, it was right from the beginning. In the age of the internet everyone grows up in public, so people have always been aware of us.’

What it does mean though is that there is a clear evolving progression to their sound, and general consensus is that on Motto they have stepped up a gear with The Fly, NME and The Guardian all raving about them. Again, Kate believes this to be something that is pretty obvious. ‘Between the ages of like 17 and 24 you change a lot, and so our sound has also altered. We’ve become more mature so I guess that the sound has to. It’s not a conscious decision, but a natural evolution. Of course we have changed, so of course our sound has.’
As a label Wichita is a good place for them to be, and a great umbrella for the band, the support that comes from a mass indie label never dulling the vibrancy of the independent band. The label are sat at a table next to us drinking pints and eating burgers, all hanging out together. ‘There’s a huge deal of push and pull, we are always trying to create opportunities for each other, and we come to them with ideas and vice versa. There are no restrictions..’ In fact later on, when on stage, Katie thanks the label for responding to her text to ‘bring whisky to the stage please.’
Everywhere people have been commenting on the band’s time off, but whilst Nestor was finishing his degree and playing in Menace Beach, members changing (it was bassist Michael Matthews first gig tonight, and Nile Marr and Sam Pryor perform on the album) Katie had ‘never physically worked so hard in my life.’ Touring, learning new songs, writing the album, as well as ‘trying to be a good person to everyone at home’ takes its toll. This is the first hint that things have not been so rosy on a personal level. Losses and loves have clearly influenced the songs and the lyrics, and it wasn’t something that Katie spoke to people about until the release of Loom, her ‘fake out.’ Is the album an exorcism in some way then? ‘I can’t detach myself from what happened, and when I write I guess it all comes out, but the way they are written though means that people can read the lyrics and understand or they can take it as a pop song, the way it is.’
With a level of complexity and depth the new album reflects a game change and step up for the band, be that conscious or not. At tonight’s gig I am with three people who have never heard the band before. Each goes home and buys the album that evening. Like me they are enamored by Katie’s reticent beauty and banter, but also those immediate and captivating great pop songs, slow building gritty lyrics, and the band’s masterful stage vibrations. Sky Larkin, and Katie Harkin, have no reason to feel nervous or frantic – they have talent and tunes.

Sky Larkin – Motto

admin — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 16:02:11 +0000

It’s been a crazy couple of years for Katie Harkin and Sky Larkin. A two year break, travel through 28 countries, line up change, and dalliances with other bands, including local Leeds pals Wild Beasts and Menace Beach. But it’s not these that influence new, and third, album Motto, released on Wichita, but rather an all-pervading sense of loss and love. Clearly battered and bruised, rather than cover those wounds with plasters they are here for all to hear, but, to use trite similes, more in a ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger sense’ than that of ‘woe is me.’ Harkin has gone on record to say that the album is very much ‘about presence after loss,’ and sad circumstances that have gone on to inspire a record that is ‘pop on the surface with a darkness that the casual listener might not pick up on.’ She doesn’t do listeners justice, or underestimates the roar with which herself, Nile Marr, Sam Pryor and Nester Matthews deliver, and even the most casual listener will hear the angst and anger in this possessed and thunderous collection of tracks.
In many ways this is more of the same, but better. Since their formation in 2005, Sky Larkin have been a band of toiling bass lines, agitated riffs, seething vocals and hyperventilating discharges of drums. Opener Motto, and its matter of fact take on recent experiences, ‘I saw what I saw, saw what I saw/Did what I did’ is full of the trademark slashes of guitar, satisfying and invigorating, a grittier follow up to first single Loom where Katy’s cooing, winsome vocals beguiled the restless dynamism that it and the band thrives on.
On The Loyal Beat Katie is defiant in the presence of troubles, getting on with things the hard way as she repeats ‘there is no map for this, there is only surprise.’ The penultimate track Italics goes as dancey as Sky Larkin get, the strong rhythms that underpin the album going giddy, taking the punchy defiance to the dancefloor. Carve It Out is full of poppy melodies, whilst Frozen Summer bristles like an unexpected cold weekend, the revolving opening chords gently pummelling away before the trippier and trippier ‘summer of soul’ and the ‘big change’ it promises.
Even in the more laidback moments you are never far away from a brimming sense of impetuous and impassioned exhilaration about to break out. Overgrown is one such track, and there is the sense that the ‘horrid accident’ that she sings of must be forgotten, but never can be, threatening to kick back at any moment. Tarn is one of the more poignant moments caused by the ‘love on the radio’ that reminds of past ‘love from before’, but recognition that she has ‘dreams in my life’ that she must get on with – and excel at.
Simple scales are used to vibrant and wondrous effect, the potent cocktail of hammer like riffs and dazzling lyrics assassinating any resistance. Resistance that you would be foolish to even consider. ‘Can we carve it out/A life in the shape I care about?’ Katy asks. If anyone can carve out the future they want, it is Sky Larkin.

Radio – August 23rd

admin — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 19:07:08 +0000

Ramblings from me, songs from…

The Caviare Days – Who Deprived You Of Your Smile?
Sky Larkin – Loom
Deadly Sin – Shy Nature
Mariam the Believer – Invisble Giving
The Wytches – Beehive Queen
Die! Die! Die! – Twitching Sunshine
Fields – Salt Cathedral
The Lucid Dream – Heading For The Waves
M185 – ShShSh
Blouses – No Shelter
Crushed Beaks – Feelers
Traams – Flowers
Telekinesis – Wires
Merchandise – Anxiety’s Door

Thoughts & Rhythms – August 23rd 2013 by Francesca Baker on Mixcloud

Sky Larkin – Loom

admin — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 10:45:19 +0000

Sky Larkin have a special place in my heart. The first band I saw when I moved to London five years ago, alone in the big city other than the buzzing music scene I moved here for, and the first band I saw in the awesome city of Leeds at The Brudenell Social Club. Those intervening years from their formation in 2005 has seen them become more polished, and no doubt learn a lot from some of their Wichita label mates, with a few collaborative projects have been in the works, singer Katie Harkin having been on the road playing with Wild Beasts and drummer Nestor Matthews getting behind the kit with Menace Beach and Giant Fang.
They are back fully as Sky Larkin, with new single Loom, from their new album Motto, out 16th September. Starting with gentle vocals from Harkin, a drum beat quickly enters to kick off this sparky and soulful riotous pop song,the drumming rush at 1 minute 50 building to end this tasty morsel of anger at that ever lingering ex-lover. Wonderful.
Catch them all over the country this autumn and pre order Motto here.

Live At Leeds 2013

admin — Sun, 05 May 2013 19:06:12 +0000

Leeds is a city brimming with musical talent and enthusiasm, every northern street oozing some kind of inspiration and output, and the annual Live At Leeds festival sees a whole host of bands join the homegrown musicians to celebrate and showcase the best in new music. This year, the city slicking festival’s seventh year, saw over 120 artists performing across the city, from native and highly successful Yorkshire lads The Pigeon Detectives to new and emerging Witch Hunt, local legends Sky Larkin to New York newbies MS MR, and straight up swilling rock’n’roll band The Struts to soulful synths courtesy of Lulu James. Determined to see as many bands as possible, without running around the city like a relentless parking attendant on speed, we spent Saturday 4th May discovering some new favourites.
Kicking off at uber cool Nation Of Shopkeepers was young Georgia Thursting. Soulful and skittish, Georgia and her band played a funk and bluesy melange, all short songs about love and heartbreak. For those keen to find out more, the helpful lass has made it easier to hunt her down amongst the devilishly densely populated world wide web, stressing to the titters of captivated gentlemen the doe eyed songstress stressed that her name is not Thrusting but Thursting. Told.
Menace Beach have been something of a buzz band of late, and their short (15 mins max) set revealed why. Pivoting around the boy girl dynamic duo of Ryan and Liza and supplemented with members of Sky Larkin and Hookworms, their scuzzy grunge riffs and furiously grooving melodies have been turning heads.
Live music in a church is always a winner, especially when accompanied by a pint, and today was no different. Leeds’ Holy Trinity Church is one of the county’s most eminent art spaces, and we arrived in time to catch the end of George Ezra‘s set. The shifting strains of this young songsmith resonated through the rafters of the church, his vocals and notes blossoming into inspired and invigorating tunes. After his final notes died away and we were left with chills, we ran to Mill’s, the least practical venue ever imagined, to cTxh the bluesy swing of Liverpool born David Broad, all toe tapping eccentricity.
DH Lawrence’s Sons And Lovers is one of my favourite books of all time, its detailed and delicate dissection of the complexities of relationships and resolutions so striking and powerful, subtle in their sophistication. The band of the same name are more immediately brash and accessible, like a version of White Lies meets Vampire Weekend, or something similar. Soaring choruses and simple melodies, they make good, yet somewhat entry level indie.
Next up was a sprint up to the Uni to see what Post War Glamour Girls had to offer. Straddling pendulum style between glorious soaring strings and harmonies and angst driven roars and rumbles, this home grown band sent shivering and colossal shifts through the crowd as they captivated via their intimidating and heavy ambience. Australian indie rockers Deep Sea Aracde were up me their raucous and furious rock crackling with punishing thrills on the stage.
I can’t remember a time in my life when my aural excitement hasn’t been fuelled by guitar wielding bands, but apparently guitar music has been dead for a while, and Savages are the band to bring it back. The following statement may have me vilified and marginalised by small music press, but, really? Not nearly as tantalising and the reviews and hyperbole would have you believe, the set was frustrating and limited, failing to set me alight. I seemed to be alone however, as the crowd rocked and swayed with adulation. Wolf Alice have been making waves on the airwaves with their stupefyingly youthful melodies and crackling hooks, and today’s gig reassured early fans that their faith was not misplaced. Poppy 90s influenced grunge flecked with thrillingly steadfast riffs, they could well be one of the new waves of bands to last longer than a few months.
By this point the Cockpit was already operating a one in one out system as the queue snaked multiple streets from the venue. The crowd lined up in anticipation of something of a buzz line up, with Peace and their fellow B town buzz band Swim Deep on the bill, punctuated by the gritty and soaring Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The latter are seductively sincere, their grubby tumbling songs instinctive and invigorating. Particularly potent and thrilling onstage, their vivid and resonant melodies were delivered in a somewhat seismic fashion. With both Swim Deep and Peace you know what you are getting, and they rarely disappoint. Sunny grunge, soaring choruses, languid and defiant lyrics and entrancing guitars, both bands banged out tune after tune. Even in the dark and wintry tunnel of the Cockpit Swim Deep’s summer tune King City warmed and welcomed with spirit. Despite Peace lead singer Harry’s best attempt to distract from the musical output of his band, by rocking a sartorial ensemble put together by cutting up his grandmother’s curtains, tablecloth, and carpet, all in one outfit, he was unable to detract from what are some absolute belters of songs, Lovesick and Float Forever being particularly riotous.
As the final notes of played and the crowd descended into indie disco, the overwhelming feeling was one of success. Sore feet, followed by an even sorer head the next morning, hut a whole host of newly discovered bands to further investigate, and even more that I could not fit into the day but have added to the list to find. Another year and yet further proof that this northern city has a lot to offer.

Live At Leeds 2013

admin — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:19:26 +0000

It’s important to know (and I say this as someone who lives in London and grew up dreaming of doing so) that the capital is not always where it is at. Cities across the UK are bubbling with creativity and musical delight, and in fact the more succinct style of many cities means that as a genuine hub and collective for musical creativity they function better than the expansive and competitive London. Leeds is one such example, and Live At Leeds, an annual festival since 2007, celebrates the local whilst not being so narrow minded as to presume that the rest of the UK is devoid of talent, uniting the best upcoming local bands alongside more established national acts.
Taking place over May Bank Holiday, this year the weekend kicks off with The Unconference , a schedule of seminars and talks on the music business. Curated by whiskas (¡Forward, Russia!, Dance To The Radio, IMGNTN) and supported by Leeds Metropolitan University, the focus this year will be around networking and the landscape of music consumption in the digital landscape, a pertinent issue for creators, consumers, and everyone in between.
It’s this that I like about Live At Leeds ; it’s not just about stumbling from bar to bar lagered up (although I love that too), but about a genuine love for music and how to make it sustainable and exciting for everyone involved. Oh yeah, and the fact that it is only £22.50 for over a hundred bands, including Little Comets, Tribes, Maybe She Will, Sons & Lovers, Theme Park, Wolf Alice, Darwin Deez, The 1975 and Yorkshire favourites Pigeon Detectives.

Wichita is 10!

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:01:27 +0000

Ten years is a long time in the music industry. Ten years is an even longer time to remain successful in the music industry, but that‘s exactly what Wichita Recordings have done. Wichita have become one of the most influential labels around, having a roster of artists including The Cribs, Bloc Party (and now Kele), Los Campesinos, First Aid Kit, Conor Oberst and Best Coast. In celebration of their tenth anniversary Wichita hosted four days of gigs at The Garage. On Monday 12th July it was Lissy Trullie, Those Dancing Days & Young Legionnaire, followed on Tuesday by First Aid Kit, Peggy Sue & Meg Baird. Wednesday was the night of the big guns, with The Cribs, Sky Larkin & Lovvers, culminating in Los Campesinos, Frankie And The Heartstrings & Johnny Foreigner on Thursday.
It‘s All Happening were lucky enough to attend the final two gigs of the week. The Cribs, performing without Johnny Marr, played their first two albums ‘The Cribs‘ and ‘New Fellas‘ back to back, for a proper hot and sweaty old-school gig. It felt like it was 2005. It felt like I was 18. It felt brilliant. The crowd were on form too, and when Gary Jarman stated in his broad Yorkshire accent ‘I‘m surprised no one has made it on to the stage yet‖, the 630 strong sell out crowd quite rightly took this as a challenge. Unsurprisingly, the security became rather busy. Lovvers had earlier ripped through an enjoyable set to open up the Wednesday night. They were closely followed by Sky Larkin who, playing several new songs from the record ‘Kaleide‘, seem to improve every time they perform.
Just 24 hours later It‘s All Happening were back at The Garage to see a lively Los Campesinos set in which they cracked out some tunes that are rarely played live anymore (‘International Tweecore Underground‘ and ‘In Medias Res’), along with the usual favourites (such as ‘You! Me! Dancing!‘ and ‘Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks‘). The seven piece are a fantastic live band and this performance reinforces that further. Los Campesinos were preceded by north east boys Frankie and The Heartstrings, who have been receiving rave reviews for their passionate performances, and Johnny Foreigner who opened the night with a energetic set that included being joined on stage by Gareth Los Campesinos for ‘Criminals‘.
Wichita have been inspirational, influential and incredible. All six bands over the two nights that we attended paid tribute to the label, and stated the impact Wichita had on their careers. Thank you Wichita – here‘s to another great ten years.
If you only own three albums from Wichita…
You will be missing out. But for now, start with these.
The Cribs: Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever
One of the best live bands you will ever see, and just as raw on record.
Los Campesinos: Hold On Now, Youngster…
Complex yet cerebal lyrics, knotted together with wonderfully spangly melodies. And it has You! Me! Dancing! on.
Best Coast: Crazy For You
Shamelessly simple yet wonderful sunny songs of love and longing

Sky Larkin @ Hoxton Bar & Grill

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:13:20 +0000

Sky Larkin @ Hoxton Bar & Grill
19 Nov 2009
Levi’s One to Watch is renouned to pinpointing the bands which have flown under the radar but are hotly tipped as big talents for the New Year. According to Noize’s Francesca Barker, Leeds outfit Sky Larkin more than proved their worth last month and tells us why.
On this penultimate night of Levi’s Ones To Watch residency at the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, Sky Larkin proved that only the foolish would take their eyes off them. Constantly teetering on the border of recognition, other than in their home city of Leeds, Sky Larkin prove that this is more a case of the sheer talent coming out of their city, rather than a problem with the band instelf
Tonight’s bill is oestrogen themed, showcasing the best new female fronted talent. Following an electric show from MPHO and singer songwriter Beth Jane Houghton, it is the turn of the sharp tongued Katy, Doug and Nestor: Sky Larkin. The set showcases why Sky Larkin, so long bubbling under the surface, could well explode to the surface in 2010.
‘Fossil, I’ is one of the best that Sky Larkin has to offer, and Katie’s vibrant and direct and delivery entraps the audience. It’s brief two minute length only reiterates the perfect intensity, whilst leaving us panting for more.
‘Matador’ is at once familiar and challenging, the recognition from the crowd visibly flowing back into the band. Punctuated with discordant guitar riffs and beats the song is immediate, and the band’s most anthemic.
‘Pica’ is probably the tune most likely to attract wider attention, it’s catchy melodies giving it the most sing-a-long appeal, if anyone would dare to try challenge Katie in the soulful banshee department.
The somersault headrush of ‘Beeline’ sends the crowd tumbling into the whirlpool that is Sky Larkin. The band frequently refer to the friction that arises during their songwriting sessions, each member of the band having their own methods and madnesses, but this challenge means that the passion and zeal with which each fights their corner results in incredible powerful music.
Sky Larkin are at the moment walking a tightrope, their decisive music somehow not being delivered in a confident enough manner. There’s no reason for this with so much going for them: tonight they’ve rocked out one of the coolest venues in London, Huw Stevens is a fan, the musical heritage of Leeds seeps through their blood, and, as a comeback to the nameless journalist who said of Katie of their Brudenell Social Club show back in February “She’s not even fit.” Well, tonight she was.
http://www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk/review-sky-larkin-hoxton-bar-and-kitchen-london