Cat Clyde

Cat Clyde is an emerging artist from London, Ontario who produces an invigorating hybrid of the blues and jazz. “Like a Wave” is a single off of her newly released album Ivory Castanets.

It’s a playful bluegrass track mixed with a haunting atmosphere and riveting vocal presence reminiscent of Rilo Kiley. Cat’s voice is strikingly full, yet with the twang of her guitar, and lyrics like “I feel my soul is sitting on a dock looking at the endless sea//Hoping somehow you are sailing back to me” her music can leave you feeling hollow – in a good way. Her voice is soulful and mystically nostalgic; if you close your eyes, you can nearly see a saloon door opening up with Cat Clyde playing on stage. “Like a Wave” is a time-traveling experience of a track that shows Cat Clyde’s enormous strengths as a singer and songwriter. - Melyssa Brown

Earlier this year, I came across the phenomenal talent of Cat Clyde when I was booking bands for the 2015 Dundas Street Festival in London Ontario. When I first heard the velvety vocals, tack-piano and slide-guitar-style sounds, I knew I needed her on the bill (which was Headlined by Zeus and featured twenty-four other acts). Thankfully, Cat accepted to play, as her performance was even dreamier than expected.

Fast forward to this week, and the London, Ontario musician has just released her debut album “Ivory Castanets” (purchase). There are a number of impressive tracks, but two that really hit home with me are “Like A Wave” and “Mama Said”. - Aaron McMillan

A little while ago I went to a Shakey Graves show. There were two opening acts and the venue was jammed with hipsters and cell phones. I only mention this because when the first band went on – Cat Clyde, almost everyone in the venue was talking and had their head buried in their screens.

That is until Cat Clyde started singing.

Here was this diminutive figure on the dark stage with a voice as big as Ma Rainey prying those eyes away from their screens with the sheer beauty of a song and the power of her voice.

In the interview below, Cat says:
“if you’re not feeling it or meaning it, there’s no point in doing it.”

Just one listen and you’ll be feelin’ it.

With a truly remarkable voice, rapt attention to songcraft and that star quality – I believe you’ll be hearing a lot from Cat Clyde. Her debut – Ivory Castanets, was released in November. If you dig the blues, you won’t want to miss this. Oh and she’s got a surf-punk side project called The Shitbats….what’s there not to love? - Stephen

What hooked about Cat Clyde’s “Mama Said” when I first listened to it is its eerie blues folk sound. I almost expected her voice to be this rustic sound, like Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard’s voice – but it’s got more of this sweet, smooth twang to it. The track is simple yet melodic, and the instruments match her voice rather than the other way around. - Alison Mchi

So this is the first time that the Tunesday shovel’s ventured outside Australia, and, honestly, it was a pretty lazy digging expedition because Ontario’s own Cat Clyde tweeted me with the second of the two tracks below. But damn she’s good – kinda like if Mac DeMarco and The Pixies had a daughter and consistently crushed up and slipped a whole bunch of classic jazz and blues records into her morning cereal. That’s pretty much how osmosis works, right? - Lachy Simpson

There's nothing complex about this song, and I think therein lies a lot of its allure.

Cat Clyde is a young artist out of London. No, not the one in the UK. The one in Ontario.

Her sound captures something a bit old-school. It's simple, with the slide guitar and beautiful vocals setting a captivating tone that may well appeal to a number of listeners. - Jason Grishkoff

You know those nights when you’re sitting in a cigar lounge, a fine glass of whiskey on the rocks in hand, the aroma of smoky romance enveloping you and your companion, and Stratford, Ontario’s Cat Clyde and her band are playing their murky bluegrass influenced jazz on the dimly lit stage? No, that has never actually happened to me either, but this was the image conjured inside my mind as I listened to Clyde’s impressive debut release, Ivory Castanets.

Cat Clyde visits moods and genres not often explored by her contemporaries on this release, and that’s what makes her sound so unique. The music isn’t particularly complex, but it is extremely textured and very tasteful. The twang of slide country guitar is present all throughout the record, and the thumping rhythm section helps keep things moving along. Clyde herself has a voice that is reminiscent of Paramore’s Hayley Williams, and she leads accordingly; powerful when she needs to be and emotionally exposed when she wants to be.

The ‘throwbacks’ are welcomed if not slightly derivative. The “Hit the Road, Jack” inspired acoustic riff of “Running Water,” and the “Come Together,” style drive of “Move Along,” will serve as nostalgia to some and have others crying foul, but it’s her ability to combine these old influences with new sounds and themes that Clyde really shines. The back and forth between the flowering Rhodes piano and clean guitar on “The Meadow” is a clear example of this skill.

It’s hard to compare Clyde’s sound to any individual artist or band because she’s done the seemingly impossible here: she has carved herself a clear niche on her debut release in a scene wrought with indie droning and mock emotions. The production is also extremely solid; each instrument cuts cleanly through the mix and none overshadow the other. Recommended for any fan of upbeat blues, dark country, or sultry lounge music. - Syd Ghan

Part two of our festive giveaway comes courtesy of Cat Clyde, a new artist from London, Ontario who released her album 'Ivory Castanets' at the end of November. Her mission statement is to breathe life into the classic sounds of yesteryear, taking on slide guitar, piano and an excellent vocal style. She's recorded cover versions before (you can find her take on Patsy Cline's 'Crazy on SoundCloud), but the ten songs on her debut more than hold their own, mixing country, rock, folk, indie and old-school pop and singer-songwriter fare.

Single 'Mama Said' brings in that slide guitar right from the start and hauls a shed load of atmosphere in with it. This is mellow, relaxed and spacious, allowing Clyde's vocal to take centre stage, and you'd have to say that's where it belongs. The backing may be a little bare, but that only makes things better, because the main instrument here is that voice which flutters around giving texture to the song and a distinct individuality. The guitar solo is a nice touch too, and proves that you don't need string sections and lush production to make a powerful and compelling tune. - Kevin W

Cat Clyde is a new artist on the scene from London, Ontario. In “Mama Said”, her velvety voice and thoughtful lyrics are somewhat striking after a generous slide-guitar start. The vocals become a musical game changer, but also balanced well and perfectly echoed with the twang of the guitar. It is a combination that produces a spacious atmosphere and a chill vibe, full of depth and meaning without the need of over production. Simple yet powerful.

Cat Clyde is Caitlin Blockeel. She reportedly (learn more here) came up with the band name because she frequents cemeteries where she found and liked the name Clyde, then played on her own name of Caitlin, to come up with Cat. Cat Clyde was born. I am smitten with her bluesy sound and her modern take on a throw back sound of an age old past. She describes her deepest influences as the Delta Blues as well as artists like Billie Holiday, Etta James, and Patsy Cline.

As I listen to her music, I contemplate the future of my small little world. Perhaps my ramblings will influence your own change and growth. Maybe one day I’ll move and really change, but for this new year ahead, I think I will make just a few slight adjustments. - Carrie

Bercée de guitares dont les échos résonnent, sous les versets de Cat Clyde, Like A Wave est offert en téléchargement gratuit par cette artiste atypique originaire de Londres. - Deborah Cukier

You don’t have to leave your house to venture through Ontario’s beautiful countryside, as Cat Clyde’s track Mama Said will transport you right into the thick of it! Released in November and originating from her debut album Ivory Castanets, Cat Clyde's Mama Said is something out of a western movie. Blending a lovely mix of folk with blues-filled vocals and instrumentation, Clyde provides a calming ensemble that will leave you unwittingly impressed by her authentic and catchy sound!

Hailing from London, Ontario, this new artist is quickly acquiring an enthusiastic fanbase, as her recent release presents a mature sound that is rarely heard from an artist’s first album. Ivory Castanets represents Clyde's talent and versatility as a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist; as she writes everything from the soulful sounds of American-blues and country (The Man I Loved Blues) to the smooth sounds of indie-pop, folk, and even r&b (listen to one of my personal favorites off the album, Chimes In The Night). With influences ranging from Etta James to Janis Joplin and Lead Belly, Clyde certainly pays tribute to these legends while presenting her own unique sound throughout her entire album. - Oliver

Cat Clyde, a brand new artist out of London, Ontario is a fresh take on the classic sounds of yesterday, breathing new life into the velvety vocal, tack-piano, slide-guitar-style that can instantly walk you through the swinging doors of a packed saloon. With influences ranging from Etta James to Janis Joplin, Lead Belly; hers is a mix that goes down smoother than a neat glass of mellow Kentucky bourbon. No longer do you need to reach for your trusty sifting pan and river boots to find gold. You just need to know one name. Cat Clyde. - Siren's Sound

Another guitar-laden track, the bluesy beat is seductive and smooth, topped by a seriously lovely melody and an angelic voice. - Lauren Ziegler

Blues and roots lovers will find lots to like on Sheets of Green from London's Cat Clyde.

This is from Ivory Castanets, which just came out this week.

This track pulls from early blues and roots music and features some great slide guitar. The chorus here immediately sticks with you in the best kind of way, too. - Adam Carter

Even Stratford-born singer Caitlin Blockeel of Cat Clyde finds it difficult to categorize her own music.

“It's really hard to describe – I love the blues and I love jazz, those are my two main influences. I found Lead Belly and after that it was history,” said Blockeel, referring to early 1900's black artist Huddie Ledbetter. “I just love the old stuff. Anything old with feeling is good.”

Blockeel finished her early afternoon set with her take on a couple of rock songs from the 50's: Elvis's Hard-Headed Woman, and Sea of Love by Phil Phillips.

A graduate of St. Michael secondary school and the music industry arts program at Fanshawe College, Blockeel was performing with London native Jesse Nestor after the other half of the duo, Patrick Fockler, recently quit.

She's taking time to regroup and figure out her next course of action, with a move to Toronto and its livelier music scene a possibility.

“Around here there's not a lot of places to do stuff like this,” she said, adding she appreciated the opportunity to play at the festival, even if to a smaller audience. “Playing outdoors is always a lot of fun. I'm just happy to play whether it's one person or a bunch of people.” - Steven Rice

Venue: Smiling Buddha

First Impressions: The two piece duo of Caitlin Blockeel and Patrick Fockler that make up Cat Clyde has an upbeat, fun old south blues sound. Caitlin’s voice is raw and sounds influenced by vocalists like Janis Joplin.

Stage Presence: It’s really neat to watch this duo perform. They’re perfectly in sync with one another and watching Fockler move smoothly back and forth between guitar and keyboard was something to see.

Crowd Reaction: As it was only 8:00 pm, there weren’t too many people filling up the open space at the Smiling Buddha. But those who were there were right up at the front of the stage singing along and cheering loudly. With the indie southern blues sound of this duo, it’s hard not to tap your foot and clap along.

Random Observation: The Smiling Buddha is huge when it’s only a quarter full
(Editor’s note: That’s what she said)

Last Word: 7 / 10 – I really love the sound of this band but there was a lower energy to this show than others I’ve seen, which probably had more to do with the fact that it was 8:00 pm than it did with the quality of Cat Clyde’s performance. Caitlin and Patrick both have super powerful voices which adds that much more to their awesome sound. Their song “Mama Said” off their album was definitely the fan favorite of the night. I picture them singing in scenes of the movie “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” but with an indie twist and it’s really great to hear that kind of music at CMW. - Pete