Cat Clyde croons to listeners a haunting tale of woe with “All the Black,” infecting the ears with a velvety sound that listeners can’t help but fall in love with.
Stream: “All the Black” – Cat Clyde
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/571661037″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=true&visual=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]Some types of music are best paired with a shot of Bourbon, hoping to let it numb the pains and banalities of daily life until one shuffles off this mortal coil. No such pairing is as perfect as the soundscapes of Cat Clyde. The Canadian-based singer-songwriter has a knack for producing intoxicating ballads that both hurt and provide limitless amounts of bliss. Clyde continues that trend with her latest single “All the Black.”
Clyde’s debut album, Ivory Castanets, was an invigorating album with a country-folk feel that excelled with its storytelling. So after two years of silence, “All the Black” gives those wanting feelings a much-needed reprieve. The track begins with a bluesy guitar melody that undulates throughout the track, keeping a subdued and meditative tone present. Drum kicks and moody percussion then set the stage for Clyde’s smoky yet sweet vocals.
Found you in the trash
huddled in the corner across from me.
You held out your hand,
told me not to be frightened.
The story soon unfolds, unraveling a more personal side to Clyde that was beginning to be explored with her debut. Now, she seems to be going all in. Clyde decries and repeats “I’ll soak up all the black,” insinuating that she’ll harbor all of the pain. Her lyricism harkens back to the tales told in Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash tracks, revitalizing the somber country-folk days of yesteryear. Around the halfway point of the track, a stronger intensity in the vocals starts to become more apparent. Clyde’s heart is fully imbued in the track, and each word sung showcases it in a gorgeous fashion.
You explained how we been
thrown away so I let you take me home.
This may be killing us
but at least it kills the pain.
If I could soak up all the black,
I would soak up all the black.
Towards the close, Clyde bellows out with a stunning bravado that leaves lasting chills with those who listen. Accompanying the track is an equally dark music video with some of the most unique visuals out there. The director, Christopher Good, grabbed the quiet intensity from the track and translated it visually in a stunning manner. A candle-lit dinner table provides just enough light to see Clyde clad in white as she sits across from a masked stranger. Throughout the video, viewers can see these two constantly together, joined by unusual means and involved in even more unusual situations. It’s the perfect visualization for one of 2019’s most hauntingly beautiful tracks.
Clyde is a genius in the way of blues and “All the Black” showcases it through the layered instrumentation that wafts around listeners. When her unique vocal flair enters the mix, unmatched musicality is achieved. There is no release date for her sophomore album, but if this track provides any indication of what listeners can expect, it will certainly be worth the wait.
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:: purchase/stream All the Black here ::
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