Canadian singer Cat Clyde has a marquee name, similar to those from whom she draws inspiration: musicians like Etta James to Janis Joplin to Lead Belly.
The Stratford, Ontario native’s latest album Ivory Castenets – out now via Cinematic Music Group – really throws her sound in stark contrast with the legends of yore, giving a contemporary twist to the ol’ timey slide-guitar-style and reverb mic effect made popular in the ‘50s. With her new album and an extensive North American tour just wrapped, Clyde’s name is sure to join the ranks of other Canadian music greats.
Clyde sat down with iHeartRadio Canada’s Clayton Taylor for an interview to discuss writing music, her album’s artsy cover and her favourite childhood movie that was an unlikely influence on the record.
What do you think it is about your music that inspires listeners to pick up an instrument?
Cat Clyde: I don't really think too much about how other people percieve it. I don’t think too much about that. I just put out what I feel.
You said you were really happy playing a sad song. Your saddest songs – do you keep them for yourself? Or do they all come out in the record?
Cat Clyde: I think I have a lot of sad songs. I have a lot of them on this record. A lot on the new record, as well. There are songs that I just keep for myself. Most times I write songs it’s just to get out my feelings, and what’s going on in my own life. If I don’t feel like it’s good enough for other people to hear I just keep it for myself.
I really like the hand-drawn element of the album cover. Did you draw it?
Cat Clyde: I didn’t draw it. A really, really good friend drew it.
What’s the inspiration behind the album title, Ivory Castanets?
Cat Clyde: I read this book called The Grizzly King by James Oliver Curwood. The book is about an orphaned bear cub and a larger male bear who takes the cub in. At the same time, he’s being hunted by hunters. There is a point in the book where one of the hunters is washing his face on the cliffside and the bear comes and screams at him. There is nowhere for this guy to go, so he just starts crying and curls up into a ball. The bear sort of just walks away. The book describes the bears claws on the rocks as ivory castanets. I always loved that part of the book. There’s also a movie, called The Bear (1988). I watched that a lot as a kid (laughs).
How does it feel to have a whole bunch of music that you’ve had so close to you for so long suddenly be readily available to stream?
Cat Clyde: It feels really awesome. Like you said, I’ve had these songs around for a long time. It’s kind of like – you see those African animals with all of the birds [perched] on them. I feel like I don’t have any birds on me anymore; I’m finally free. So I feel very good that it’s finally free.
Does it feel like the songs feel differently now, the way it’s packaged?
Cat Clyde: I’m not sure I see them too much differently. I’ve kind of had time to sit with them for a long time. I’m just glad they’re gone now. As time moves, I find myself preferring different ones. Right now, I’m really liking “Move Along”. I really want to start recording new songs, and it just makes me really excited to write new songs.