Anna Cate
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Anna Cate

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Pop Singer/Songwriter

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"Kevin’s Take- Anna Cate: Anna Cate"

Seattle – You have an angel in your town, and her name is Anna Cate. With captivating lyrics and a voice that seems as though it can come from the girl next door, Anna’s music is as charming as it is unique. I say with full confidence this is one of the most well-rounded artists I’ve had the opportunity to review, and I’m certain you’ll agree upon checking her out.

Classically trained on both harp and violin, Anna has breathed new life in the rock genre with the fearless mix of Harp with keys, bass, drums, and her aforementioned voice. While not avoiding modern song-writing themes and contemporary feel, this entire self-titled debut is anchored throughout with gorgeous classical orchestral, almost anthem-like musical interludes.

Among the stand-out tracks are “This Old Radio,” “Full Circle,” and the gorgeous closing track “The Letter.” Each with absolutely masterful orchestration from start to finish, “Radio” brings out Cate’s talent for composition and vision for her music. While not particularly lyric-heavy, this song as a virtual showcase for how great musicians can turn story-tellers and manipulate the heart.

“Full Circle” kicks in right away with staccato eight-notes on harp over cut-time rock drums, before bringing in piano, guitar and vocals. This is a brilliant exercise in the mix of dynamic ranges to pull the most out of a song. Think The Tragically Hip or Tonic. This track is, perhaps, as close as Anna gets to starting riots in the streets with her rock, but it’s just plain good, and leads wonderfully to “The Letter,” an amazing lost-love song that should bring the toughest whiskey-drinking cowboy to tears.

Sweet, groove-laden and with a good bit of “Shoe-gazer” thrown in the mix, I have a hard time labeling where this falls in the genre spectrum. I mean, it has so much of the gorgeous romance aspect that made us all love Dashboard Confessional, but there’s such appeal to the folk-rock and pop-country side as well there is no doubt in my mind, she can do very well in any direction she chooses to take her music.

I am absolutely floored by the maturity of these songs – both in lyrical content, but overall as compositional and production quality, Anna demonstrates both a grounding and humility in her musicianship as well as a willingness to experiment and push aside regard for traditional rules of what defines a modern radio-friendly tune.

Do your ear-balls a favor – listen to this 6-song EP from an artist who is not only wise beyond her years, but cute and stirs emotion to and fro. She’s way better than whatever bearded wussies with banjos you were listening to before.

- Nanobot Rock Reviews


Discography

Self-titled EP, "Anna Cate"

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Bio

When Anna Cate was only five years old, she saw a harp concert and became enchanted with the instrument. Soon she began taking lessons and, in the ensuing years, she became a proficient harpist. Now, it’s her turn to enchant: Anna Cate, the self-released debut EP by the Seattle-based singer-songwriter, is the culmination of years of developing and honing her craft. Its six songs, most written on the harp and featuring Anna Cate on the ageless, ethereal instrument, are intimate and delicate but powerful at the same time.

From childhood, Anna Cate was drawn to music—it’s in her blood. “A few generations back, my ancestors were very musical,” Anna Cate says. “I’ve heard that passions and talents can skip generations; maybe that’s the case with me. And musical instruments have always been magnetic to me,” she continues. “I remember being drawn to toys that made music (the xylophone, the drums, music boxes) at a very young age. I talked a lot about how I wanted to start music lessons. My parents were supportive of the idea, and once I was old enough to read and participate somewhat independently in studying music, I started piano lessons. Then I started harp and violin when I was 10, and guitar in college when my brother let me ‘borrow’ his guitar. (I still have it.)”

Anna Cate played in school orchestras from the fifth grade until the end of college, where she participated in a harp ensemble, “which was unique to me since there were so few harpists in my hometown.” Trained in classical music, she began composing at a young age but didn’t engage in formal songwriting until college, when she began taking classes in the craft. “My composing took a definite shift in direction at this point, because I preferred pop music over classical,” she says.

“Most of my past performance experience is classical,” she continues. “It’s been fun to transition into a genre where words add so much expression. I’m sure the classical performances carry over into my style. Although I have great respect and love for a lot of classical works, I wanted to be a part of a modern art form.”

The motivation to compose, Anna Cate says, “is just something innate. Ideas come to me that I develop. It’s very entertaining to sit down at an instrument with a certain idea that I want to express or a pretty line of melody, and work it into a song. It really brightens my day!”

Although her musicianship on the harp is unquestionable, Anna Cate’s vocal prowess can’t be overlooked. Her voice is pristine and wispy, yet imbued with emotional depth—her singing is something she’s worked especially hard to develop alongside the harp and songwriting. “When I was in elementary school, I started noticing that I didn’t have a stand-out voice,” Anna Cate says. “I wasn’t able to belt out a loud voice in music classes or on stage, so I started considering myself a non-singer. Then in college I had music major courses that required sight singing, which I found was pretty embarrassing; I had never sung solo before. It got easier with practice though. During a college trip to another university, I wandered into a bookstore and listened to their sample CDs; one had a songwriter with a breathy voice. I really liked her CD and thought that if she could sing at that volume and be successful, maybe I would have a chance at making a CD myself. That was a turning point for me, and made me feel confident with singing at a soft volume. We’re in the age of the microphone, which really opens a door for people with soft voices.”

Anna Cate—the EP—“is just a first step,” acknowledges the artist. “From here I could see myself going in a couple of different directions. I could continue on as a singer/songwriter, or join forces with other musicians, playing the harp and writing for a band.”

Whatever she chooses, these half-dozen songs announce the arrival of a talent who has much to say and a unique, beguiling way of saying it. Says Anna Cate, “I’ve had a lot of encouragement along the way and like many musicians. I am a dreamer.”