Where does this new one sit? Ah, that’s difficult because you get crumbs of comfort in different areas: a bit of soul, blues, jazz in the arrangements even a bit but she’s not a jazz singer.
It’s kind of grown up 1970s style soulfulness I suppose. I remember liking a singer called Amanda St John a few years ago and went to see her live, an Irish singer with a penchant for the Muscle Shoals sound and while Amanda was a bit more theatrical and Dusty-like, Eaton also resonates strongly with me because of a certain authenticity she manages to project.
OK it’s quite middle of the road – I don’t mean that as a put down – and certainly the better songs – there are about 4 or 5 really good ones.
Produced by Nick  Atkinson who also plays guitar on the record the pair recorded this in Sheffield and at famed rock studio Konk in London.
While a few songs teeter on being a bit too bland (eg ‘A Love To Call Your Own’) the more uptempo numbers aren’t at all.
“Lost in ignorant bliss” meditation ‘Humming Low’ stands out most from a jazz listener perspective
What else? The very fine lost-in-ignorant-bliss meditation ‘Humming Low’ vocal strung against softly unfolding guitar works; and there are plenty of jazz chords dotted around the aching ‘Long Goodbye’ another album strong suit. Eaton’s contralto sits well alongside Jo Harrop‘s approach although Harrop chooses jazz standards often as a default and Eaton doesn’t. Her originals have clean contours but sometimes the storyline of the song doesn’t journey much beyond the melodic hook.
- Catch Kat Eaton in Cork city this September at Coughlan’s ahead of some Dublin dates.
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