22
Nov
18

Kayla Guthrie “Blue”

Okay, I just noticed among the records here there were three with really similar covers—that look like photos of dark forms that resemble shadowy, out of focus, silhouetted heads, or faces, from the shoulders up——so I decided I have to listen to all three of these in succession to see if there is any connection, or if this is a “thing”—or what. The first is someone named Kayla Guthrie, who I have never heard of, but that sounds like a woman’s name, and the head looks like it could be a woman. The record, called Blue, is on a really beautiful blue vinyl (make a note, if I ever press a record, to consider that color). It’s kind of plodding, kind of industrial sounding music with a really depressed, drugged out singing style—can’t make out the lyrics, or even tell if it’s English. The cardboard inside—the inner wall of the album cover is also blue. What’s the name of this record, again?

Oh—I went to turn it over and noticed that it’s actually 45 RPM—it was printed small, I didn’t see it. Okay, that makes sense, it sounds more normal now. I know this goes against my rule to not write about 45s or EPs—but this ship has already left the Earth’s orbit. Four songs, definitely a woman’s voice singing, not a zombie, like I first thought, and there are lyrics and notes. Some of this music might be described as “industrial”—it’s really good—and some reminds me of that later Tom Waits stuff. Other songs sound like I’d imagine Nine Inch Nails to sound, though I’ve never heard NIN, so I’m probably wrong—so I don’t even know why I said that. Anyway, there are only four songs, but I like them. Further inspection reveals credits, lyrics, and an extended inner sleeve with notes by Kayla Guthrie, kind of a bio/artist’s statement, and is a bit more than I want to know. It reminds me of why I hate the internet. But you love the internet. I go both ways.


1 Response to “Kayla Guthrie “Blue””


  1. 1 J Curtis
    November 24, 2018 at 10:39 am

    First I was kind of disappointed that she is apparently not related to Woody Guthrie (or maybe she is but isn’t into his music and doesn’t want to ride his coat-tails), and then I read this thing on her bandcamp page about her having “literary practices,” and this confusing batch of aspirations: “Originating in minimal musical performances in gallery settings and turns as a poet and writer in the visual art world, her pursuits break categorical modes of creative practice and distill multiple streams of fluency.” — it kinda sounds like she’s always doing her “practice” in venues that were meant for other practices. But practice makes perfect, I guess. I dunno. Listening to her bandcamp page now, I think you pretty much accurately describe her sound here..
    BTW, as a kollidge radio dj, I would like to offer the opinion that colored vinyl is a lot harder to cue up than traditional black vinyl — especially white or clear vinyl. Makes it really difficult to see the separate tracks on a record!


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