Penfriend LIVE online: Wed 5th March, 8pm (UK time)

Penfriend LIVE online: Wed 5th March, 8pm (UK time)

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Live performances Music News

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🎸 Listen to my first Penfriend album “Exotic Monsters” and browse my back catalogue here.

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See you soon xo



PS yes, my songs are available everywhere else you listen to music online.
Just search for Penfriend, She Makes War and Obey Robots.

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SEND ME FREE SONGS & STORIES
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I face my pretty tragedies… “Exit Strategy” live from Lightship95 (2011)

I face my pretty tragedies… “Exit Strategy” live from Lightship95 (2011)

by Laura Kidd Creativity Homepage Feature Letterbox Live performances

“Exit Strategy” performed live on the Lightship95 music studio boat on the River Thames, November 2011.


This song originally appeared on my 2012 album “Little Battles”, released under the name She Makes War – vinyl and CD versions are available in my shop.

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:
Annie Gardiner – bass
Dana Jade / Ms Mohammed – guitar
Tom Gardiner – drums

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

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Please don’t leave me yet… – “Please Don’t” Live from the Archive (2015)

Please don’t leave me yet… – “Please Don’t” Live from the Archive (2015)

by Laura Kidd Creativity Homepage Feature Letterbox Live performances

“Please Don’t” performed live on vocals, guitar and violin at Ort Cafe, Birmingham, 24th March 2015.


This song appears on my 2016 album “Direction Of Travel”, released under the name She Makes War.

Violin by Simon Goff.

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

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I’d like to delete myself… – “Delete” Live from the Archive (2015)

I’d like to delete myself… – “Delete” Live from the Archive (2015)

by Laura Kidd Creativity Homepage Feature Letterbox Live performances

“Delete” performed live on vocals, loop pedal and megaphone at Ort Cafe, Birmingham, 24th March 2015.


This song appears on my 2012 album “Little Battles”, released under the name She Makes War.

Watch the self-shot music video here.

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

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Limited live album release + “Devastate Me”

Limited live album release + “Devastate Me”

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Live performances Music News

I 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.


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

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

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If “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift was indie rock…

If “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift was indie rock…

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Live performances

Introducing a very special guest backing vocalist!


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

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

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Lead me with your lovely lies – “Butterflies” live from Lightship95 (2011)

Lead me with your lovely lies – “Butterflies” live from Lightship95 (2011)

by Laura Kidd 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

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FREE online gig 26/10/22 – “Sad songs to make you feel better”

FREE online gig 26/10/22 – “Sad songs to make you feel better”

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Live performances Music News

The 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.

+ Get two free songs immediately when you sign up for thoughtful letters about art and music.

+ 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.

+ Be part of the making of new music – check out membership options for The Correspondent’s Club.

+ You can also follow me around the web, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Have a lovely day xo

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“Roman Candles” – Death Cab For Cutie (cover)

“Roman Candles” – Death Cab For Cutie (cover)

by Laura Kidd Letterbox Live performances

When 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

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