Sarah St. Catherine
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
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Discography
I started writing Helios in 2010, while caught in the clutches of a dark Vancouver winter. Longing for the sun brought keen, consuming emotions that stoked the fires in the old cast iron stove of my imagination. I began to notice the effect the seasons have on everything - love and despair, friendships and travels, memories and dreams. The seasons set the stage and give colour to all our lives’ comedies and dramas.
When I brought the songs to David at Audities, he’d just completed a three-year project to restore a vintage Helios recording console for the studio. Originating from Strawberry Studios in London, the desk is a piece of history that recorded classic records by 10cc, Joy Division, The Smiths, and the Stone Roses. My new album had the great honour of being the first project recorded on the newly rewired Helios console.
The project was christened in the name of the resurrected console as it seemed a perfect title for the seasonal themes in the songs. There are references to the sun on almost every track and like the solar year, the album starts in the hope of early spring and progresses around the seasons to frozen, quiet winter.
The new songs germinated in moments of solitude, but a group of brilliant collaborators helped make them bloom. David Kean lent his preternatural ears to every stage of the recording, and gathered a roster of masterly players for each track. One of the songs, a rendition of Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” was recorded to tape, live off the studio floor. This was an incredible experience, not only in paying hommage to a masterpiece, but in the band making sound as a single organism through the venerable old reel-to-reels. One of the musicians at the session reflected that the smell of ferric oxide in the control room brought back memories of good old days in studios gone by.
I’m proud to say that Helios is my greatest musical accomplishment so far. The songs and the sound authentically express my experiences and feelings, and will tell you who I am better than this summary ever could. Musician bios sometimes lay it on pretty thick: “dreamy and effervescent”, “sweet and playful”, etc. I don’t like to describe my music - I would much rather you listened to it. If you’re reading this, you probably already have. If not, there are free downloads on this site, so please help yourself.
Photos
Bio
A lot of bios read like long affected press releases. I tried to write one in the standard style, but how could I subject you to disingenuous self-praise, written in the third person? I couldn’t.
So here’s my story, plain and true. I sing and write songs, and I’d love for you to listen to them.
A little about my history: Mom was a folk singer and Dad was a rock and roll guitarist. Mom played the Ottawa coffee house scene, while Dad rocked out in a band called Bogus. I never fit in at school - too tall and introverted, preferring the company of books and daydreams. I started writing songs when I was six; the first one was a very heartfelt ballad about endangered species.
I played in coffee houses around Calgary through my teen years, brooding over boyfriends while idolizing Joni Mitchell and Sarah McLachlan. After recording demos at a handful of studios, I got fed up with creepy Svengalis promising to make me a star… for a price. If there are any aspiring musicians reading this, take my word for it; go get some recording software and learn to use it. I recommend Ableton Live - It’s easy and fun and doesn’t try to take your pants off.
To clear my head, I took an opportunity to go live in France, where I wrote songs in a hundred square foot garret by the sea. If it sounds very romantic, that’s because it was! I chased adventures, catching the train out of town whenever I could afford a ticket. I sang in a gothic cathedral in Hesse, got mugged in the back streets of Tangier, and busked with a homeless man in Amersterdam while cops stood by, singing along to “Love Hurts”.
These travels inspired me to write my first album, “Somewhere Along the Wire”, which I released in 2008. Then, just as I was mixing my debut album, I got another opportunity to move - this time to Vancouver.
My new life on the coast has brought me some beautiful new friends and fans while giving the opportunity to play with some fantastic Vancouver musicians. My newest album, “Helios”, This year, is the juicy red fruit of a labor of love for me, producer David Kean, and the amazing team who helped bring it to life.
I can sense my next project just around the corner as I draw inspiration from the Pacific ocean and the haunting tones of the Ondioline and the Ondes Martenot.
Thank you for listening.
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