Tag: Me

I have a thing about genre defying music and Me, the eighth release by California based Katie Knipp certainly ticks that box. Country? Yes. Blues (Swamp and Chicago)? Yes. Prog AND Opera? You’ve got it. Yet it works as a whole, in the way that ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ did. Me is an album that keeps you on your toes, never knowing what’s coming next. There are thirteen tracks, ten plus three radio edits, all self-written which flow across the musical spectrum in a vivid soundscape. As a concept its an album about life, the life of an artist and a person, with all that involves. Katie is not only an excellent vocalist but plays various keyboards and guitars with a very tight band to support her. This is her fourth Billboard charting album and reached No 5 on the blues chart on release.

Opening the album ‘Mud’ sets the tone straight away with a solid five minutes. Starting with a blues piano and sax with gravelly vocals this is a song about drinking to forget. Then the vocals cut free with operatic vocals before switching back to the blues. It’s a roller-coaster of a ride for sure.

‘Outlaw Doc’ takes a different direction with a more swamp blues feels, all driving guitar, harmonica and rasping vocals telling the story of somebody who wants to make something of their life but ends up being hung for murder. ‘Time And Space’ has a completely different feel. Keys and voice make this a rather beautiful love song ballad.

‘Dirty Cables’ is a more traditional Country song, a singer on a stage playing to two drunks and an hour of the set left gets a message saying “Hey can ya call me when you get this” so you know it isn’t going to end well and a friend has just died, but the show must go on. Poignantly, this song is a true story.

I took a chance on this album, from an artist I’d never heard of, based simply on the cover art which I still can’t decide if it’s an impressionist portrait or a severed head. Sometimes judging a book by its cover pays off and this album has been on a loop in the car ever since. Released in June 2024, it’s available across all download platforms.

Tony Birch

 Artist’s website: https://katieknipp.com/

‘Mud’ – official video: