The ninth edition of The Correspondent’s Club quarterly music and zine bundle, a members-only 9-song live performance.
Track listing:
1. Dress rehearsal 2. Olympian 3. Devastate Me 4. Dispensable Body 5. Please Don’t 6. I long ago decided 7. Loving Echoes 8. Paper Thin 9. Seashaken 10. Black Car 11. TOWOIT
A song about the cognitive dissonance of feeling “super connected”: supposedly informed and part of a community via social media, yet deluded if we think typing words into a little box is enough to show empathy to people in very different situations to our own comfort. “If we’re super connected, why aren’t we all floating in the sea?”
VIDEO CREDITS Directed and edited by Laura Kidd. DOP – Sarah Smither. Right-hand woman + set photography – Charlie Romijn Set assistants/extras – Megan Green, Leanne Bond & Kit Crew-Gee Set photographer – Kate Feast
Shot at Boom Satsuma, Bristol. Huge thanks to Freya Billington, Phil Zikking and David Neal.
SONG CREDITS Produced by Laura Kidd in The Launchpad, Bristol. Mixed by Chris Sheldon at Red Cedar, London, mastered by Katie Tavini at Weird Jungle, Brighton.
All music by Laura Kidd and Rat. Guitars by Rat.All lyrics, arrangements, vocals, bass, synths, drum programming and lead guitar by Laura.
LYRICS
I drew a target on the back of my neck Cos some are more equal than others Disaster junkies scrape bottomless feeds As long as their self-satisfaction’s guaranteed
We hold on to life, like everyone tries If we’re super connected Why aren’t we all floating in the sea?
Stuck with myself, I run for my health Cos these pretty flowers can kill you Send bottles downstream in an alkaloid dream Share in this delusion where no-one hears you scream
We hold on to life, like everyone tries If we’re super connected Why aren’t we all floating in the sea?
We hold on to life, like everyone tries If we’re super connected Why aren’t we all floating in the sea?
When I decided to bring my She Makes War project to a close at the end of 2019, I created this eight-track retrospective featuring fan favourites from all four She Makes War albums. These songs were lovingly re-recorded in a stripped-back, intimate fashion in my home studio The Launchpad.
As I wrote at the time of release, “I want to celebrate a decade of independent music-making with the community who have encouraged me throughout the years. I’m so proud of the music I’ve made so far and so thankful for your ears and hearts! I put the choice of songs to a public vote in the summer, and thoroughly enjoyed getting to spend some time creating these new arrangements for you. Thank you x”
I released my debut album “Disarm” under the name She Makes War in September 2010. I’d been collecting the songs together for a couple of years, gradually focusing my mind, building my confidence and getting ever closer to making the music that was playing in my head a reality, a tangible thing others could listen to. Little did I imagine what adventures those songs would take me on, but I’ve enjoyed travelling around the world watching them take on a life of their own ever since.
As the fifth anniversary of Disarm came closer I started making plans to revisit some of the songs, tenderly reworking the tracks that feel the most resonant to my current self, and the ones I felt would benefit from a different sonic approach.
After releasing my third album “Direction Of Travel” I felt it was high time to roll up my sleeves and tackle songs from my debut that never fully realised their potential. It’s about wisdom and hindsight, I suppose.
As Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
“Featuring the iconic guitar sound of Rat (Ned’s Atomic Dustbin) and the compassionate melodic arrangements of Laura Kidd (Penfriend / She Makes War), “Not The Quiet Type” implores the listener to stop chasing perfection and step fully into themselves and their perceived imperfections.”
No experience is truly wasted. Try, fail and try again. Be yourself, fall in love, get it all terribly wrong and get back up.
CREDITS Produced by Laura Kidd in The Launchpad, Bristol. Mixed by Chris Sheldon at Red Cedar, London, mastered by Katie Tavini at Weird Jungle, Brighton. All music by Laura Kidd and Rat. All lyrics, arrangements, vocals, bass, and synths by Laura. All guitars by Rat. Drums by Max Saidi.
LYRICS
Goodbye, a little sigh Sticking fingers in my eyes Out of time, out of sight So I’ll try another night
I won’t regret all the hours that I spent I’m not here to make amends I am not the quiet type
Destruction makes us stronger We will always get it wrong So fall to pieces, fall apart We’ll stick it back together
Am I being interesting? Turning cheek and fighting spin? Finding comfort in my skin? Imperfection’s always in
I won’t regret all the hours that I spent I’m not here to make amends No, I’m not the quiet type!
Destruction makes us stronger We will always get it wrong So fall to pieces, fall apart We’ll stick it back together
Destruction makes us stronger We will always get it wrong So fall to pieces, fall apart Then get back up
Destruction makes me stronger I will always do my best So fall to pieces, fall in love We’ll stick it back together
From 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.”
The eighth edition of The Correspondent’s Club quarterly music and zine bundle was created in August 2022. I reworked three songs from “Exotic Monsters” for a collection provisionally titled “from The Upside Down”.
The only way to get access to future Correspondent’s Club releases is to become a member – browse member perks here.
Track listing:
1. Dispensable Body 2. Loving Echoes 3. Long Shadows
In April 2022 I spent a week in the Setubal area of Portugal, travelling up to my beloved Lisbon for several day trips. One breakfast time, after reading about the cavaquinho, an ancestor of the ukulele, I decided to go on a musical treasure hunt to find an instrument to play my song “Seashaken” on – by the sea.
The fifth and sixth editions of The Correspondent’s Club quarterly music and zine bundle were released together in December 2021, comprising two zines and one CD.
The only way to get access to future Correspondent’s Club releases is to become a member – browse member perks here.
Track listing:
1. This Is The Sound (Battery Thinkers cover) – read more here 2. The Argonauts 3. My Battery Is Low And It’s Getting Dark (instrumental) 4. BASSFACE (instrumental) 5. Hotel Song 6. Seashaken with a little cold
Preview track: “This Is The Sound (Battery Thinkers cover)