Three steps to not quitting…
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Limited live album release + “Devastate Me”
Letterbox Live performances Music NewsI performed nine songs live on the internet on Wednesday 26th October 2022, and am making the studio quality recordings available for a short time only.
The theme of the show was “Sad songs to make you feel better”. It’s all a lot at the moment, isn’t it, and I’ve always found writing and listening to supposedly sad music very cathartic. So, far from being a depressing time, it was a chance to hang out with a friendly bunch of music fans and feel our feelings.
GET THE ALBUM on a pay what you want / can basis. This is a limited release – only available publicly until 13th November.
Watch the full livestream here.
PS “Devastate Me” first appeared on my 2018 album “Brace For Impact”, released under the name She Makes War.
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LYRICS
This is a song for the heavy hearted
Lost friends and the dear departed
Kiss like a cannonball
Handle your alcohol
We disappear so quietly
Devastate me
We’re crying out, so eager to please
Devastate me
Sign up and enjoy the static
Scream along cos we’re so dramatic
Does the world need this piece of you?
Easy to speak but it’s hard to be heard
We’re not so wonderful
Mortalis digital
Watching ex-lovers age
Blood on my internet page
We disappear so quietly
Devastate me
We’re crying out, so eager to please
Devastate me
We disappear so quietly
Devastate me
We’re crying out, but nobody sees
Devastate me
We disappear so quietly
Devastate me
We’re crying out, so eager to please
Devastate me
We disappear so quietly
Devastate me
We’re crying out, but nobody sees
Devastate me
If “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift was indie rock…
Letterbox Live performancesIntroducing a very special guest backing vocalist!
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Have a lovely day! xo
LYRICS
I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser
Midnights become my afternoons
When my depression works the graveyard shift
All of the people I’ve ghosted stand there in the room
I should not be left to my own devices, they come with prices and vices, I end up in crisis
Tale as old as time
I wake up screaming from dreaming one day I’ll watch as you’re leaving ‘cause you got tired of my scheming – for the last time
It’s me
Hi
I’m the problem, it’s me
At teatime
Everybody agrees
I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby
And I’m a monster on the hill
Too big to hang out
Slowly lurching toward your favorite city
Pierced through the heart but never killed
Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism like some kind of congressman
Tale as old as time
I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day I’ll watch as you’re leaving and life will lose all its meaning – for the last time
It’s me
Hi
I’m the problem, it’s me
At teatime
Everybody agrees
I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money
She thinks I left them in the will
The family gathers ‘round and reads it
And then someone screams out
“She’s laughing up at us from hell!”
It’s me
Hi
I’m the problem, it’s me
It’s me
Hi
I’m the problem, it’s me
It’s me
Hi
Everybody agrees
Everybody agrees
It’s me
Hi
I’m the problem, it’s me
At teatime
Everybody agrees
Lead me with your lovely lies – “Butterflies” live from Lightship95 (2011)
Creativity Homepage Feature Letterbox Live performances“Butterflies” performed live on the Lightship95 music studio boat on the River Thames, November 2011.
This song appears on my 2012 album “Little Battles”, released under the name She Makes War.
At the end of 2011 I assembled a temporary band of superstars in their own right to showcase four songs from my upcoming second album “Little Battles”. We spent a whole day filming on the Lightship95 music studio inside a pink boat moored on the River Thames, and this is one of the songs we played.
Band members:
Milly McGregor – violin
Dr Kat Arney – harp
Video shot so beautifully by Ed Christmas, edited by Laura Kidd.
Audio recorded and mixed by Jarrad Hearman, mastered by Ian Shepherd.
Browse my entire back catalogue – She Makes War and Penfriend – here.
Join my mailing list for free songs and stories, subscribe here for future videos and get involved from the start of Penfriend album #2 by joining The Correspondent’s Club.
Have a lovely day! xo
Two new Penfriend tees (and SIX TYPEWRITERS)!
Letterbox Live performancesThese will be sent out week beginning Monday 24th October – get yours here.
Join my mailing list for free songs and stories, subscribe here for future videos and get involved from the start of Penfriend album #2 by joining The Correspondent’s Club.
Have a lovely day! xo
“Brace For Impact” – (2018)
Albums Letterbox Music News ReleasesFrom 2009-2019 I made music under the name She Makes War, releasing 4 and a bit solo albums and playing nearly 600 shows.
“Brace For Impact” was the final full-length She Makes War album, released on 5th October 2018. Funded through Pledge Music and the generosity of music fans, it reached #15 in the Independent Album Chart and narrowly missed out on a top 100 placing in the Official Albums Chart. It was all very exciting for this indie artist!
As I said at the time, “I’ve never wanted to wait around for the old guard to validate and endorse me – my whole career has been about making the art I want to and finding a way to get it to people.” “I’m here to share my stories and show my audience I hear and see them too. It’s human nature, to want to know you’re not alone.”
Stream the album in full below, pick up your copy on CD or “dogface” splatter vinyl and subscribe to my channel for more videos xo
FREE online gig 26/10/22 – “Sad songs to make you feel better”
Letterbox Live performances Music NewsThe theme for my next FREE online gig is “sad songs to make you feel better”.
It’s all a lot at the moment, isn’t it?!! – and I’ve always found writing and listening to supposedly sad music very cathartic. So, far from being a depressing time, it’s a chance to hang out with a friendly bunch of music fans and feel your feelings. Like any other gig, then, but the drinks are cheaper and the crunchy snacks won’t bother others.
Mmm, popcorn.
If you’d like to request a particular song from my Penfriend and She Makes War back catalogue please leave a comment below!
The show will take place on my YouTube channel – subscribe here and tap the “get reminder” bell.
THANK YOU for visiting my website! I’m Laura Kidd, a music producer, songwriter and filmmaker based in Bristol, UK. It’s great to meet you.
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+ Get your copy of my album “Exotic Monsters” and browse my back catalogue right here.
+ Watch my weekly YouTube videos here and browse episodes of my music podcast “Attention Engineer” here.
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Have a lovely day xo
“Roman Candles” – Death Cab For Cutie (cover)
Letterbox Live performancesWhen I heard this song earlier this year I was so transfixed I had to play it over and over and over (and over) again…that doesn’t happen often to me these days, but the lyrics stopped me in my tracks. I feel them so much.
Death Cab For Cutie’s new album “Asphalt Meadows” is out now and they have a great YouTube channel. This is a live one take performance with additional vocal harmonies added afterwards. This time I experimented recording the audio using the Rode Video Mic Pro + and added some reverb in Logic Pro. Watch more from my “Take a sad song and make it sadder” covers series.
FUN FACT: one of the reasons I’m called Penfriend is down to loving The Postal Service’s album “Give Up”. Dream collab!!!
Join my mailing list for free songs and stories, subscribe here for future videos and get involved from the start of Penfriend album #2 by joining The Correspondent’s Club.
Have a lovely day! xo
Digging ourselves a hole… – “A-Hole” Live from the Archive (2015)
Creativity Homepage Feature Letterbox Live performances“A-Hole” performed live at Ort Cafe, Birmingham, 24th March 2015.
This song originally appeared on my 2010 album “Disarm”, released under the name She Makes War.
Bass by Simon Goff, drums by Elijah Dahl.
Recorded by Dan Hayward, mixed and mastered by Jay Chakravorty. Video by Blacklight Productions.
Browse my entire back catalogue – She Makes War and Penfriend – here.
Join my mailing list for free songs and stories, subscribe here for future videos and get involved from the start of Penfriend album #2 by joining The Correspondent’s Club.
Have a lovely day! xo
Pre-order the Obey Robots album today!
Creativity Homepage Feature Letterbox Music News
The day is finally here! I’m delighted to invite you to browse the Obey Robots “One In A Thousand” pre-order extravaganza for limited edition coloured vinyl, CDs, cassettes, hardback books, guitar pick tins, tees and hoodies.
Order “One In A Thousand” today and be the first to get “Not The Quiet Type” as an immediate download, plus a new song sent to your inbox every six weeks leading up to the album release date of 24th February 2023.
Rat says – “I never thought I’d be sitting here again saying the words “we’ve got an album coming out” – and I can’t tell you how utterly amazing it feels to say just those words, knowing what both of us have been through over the last three years.
It’s been a long time since I’ve done this, and I had to do a lot of soul searching about whether I wanted to do this again.
I can’t say that I have any words to describe this.”
I say – “The title track “One In A Thousand” sums up the album.
In a potentially very disconnected and lonely world, I hold onto the idea that every single one of us can hold a valuable place in our communities, offering the best of ourselves and receiving love and support in return.
Instead of clawing our way up to a lonely pedestal to be one in a million, we can stand together and be one in a thousand.
I hope you’ll join our friendly robot army.”
Launching new music into the world always brings a mess of emotions with it, and I really can’t thank you enough for your support.
Thank you!
Laura xoxo
Join my mailing list for free songs and stories, subscribe here for future videos and get involved from the start of Penfriend album #2 by joining The Correspondent’s Club.
Have a lovely day! xo