''Relations'' is an album of cover versions by
Kathryn Williams
Kathryn Williams (born 15 February 1974, Liverpool, England) is an English singer-songwriter who to date has released 14 studio albums, written and arranged for a multitude of artists, and was nominated for the 2000 Mercury Music Prize.
Willi ...
, released by CAW Records on 17 May 2004. The album was a BBC Radio 2 Album Of The Week, and peaked at no.76 in the UK albums chart.
The two live tracks, 'Hallelujah' & 'These Days' were recorded live at the Open Air Theatre, Regents Park, London on 10 August 2003
Williams admitted in an interview with ''The Independent'' newspaper ''"''I don't even like covers albums" but that "I'm not trying to better the originals or debase their talent ....more a case of trying subtly to put your stamp on what you consider a brilliant song"
The album received mixed reviews with ''The Guardian'' concluding "The originals were better" and ''UNCUT'' magazine called it "an unusual album of cover versions". The ''MusicOMH'' review acknowledged "this may not be to everybody's taste (but) buy It and prepare to be seduced" with ''Popmatters'' suggesting the album was "partly recognized, partly elusive, offering an irresistible invitation to explore it further."
Track listing
#"In a Broken Dream" (David Bentley; originally recorded by
Python Lee Jackson) – 3:37
#"Birds" (
Neil Young) – 2:26
#"
Thirteen" (
Alex Chilton,
Chris Bell; originally recorded by
Big Star) – 2:56
#"
Hallelujah
''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...
" (
Leonard Cohen) – 5:08
#"
Ballad of Easy Rider" (
Roger McGuinn; originally recorded by
The Byrds) – 2:50
#"A Guy What Takes His Time" (
Ralph Rainger; originally recorded by
Mae West) – 2:58
#"Candy Says" (
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...
; originally recorded by
The Velvet Underground) – 3:33
#"
How Can We Hang On to a Dream" (
Tim Hardin) – 2:34
#"
I Started a Joke" (
Barry Gibb,
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a British singer and songwriter. He gained worldwide fame as a member of the Bee Gees pop group with elder brother Barry and fraternal twin brother Maurice. Robin Gibb also had his o ...
&
Maurice Gibb; originally recorded by The
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees
were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in ...
) – 3:07
#"Easy and Me" (
Lee Hazlewood) – 2:46
#"
Spit on a Stranger
"Spit on a Stranger" is a song by American indie rock band Pavement, released as a single on June 22, 1999, from their final record ''Terror Twilight''. It includes the song "Harness Your Hopes", which would become the band's most listened song ...
" (
Stephen Malkmus; originally recorded by
Pavement) – 3:23
#"
All Apologies" (
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
; originally recorded by
Nirvana) – 3:34
#"Beautiful Cosmos" (
Ivor Cutler) – 1:31
#"
These Days" (
Jackson Browne
Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States.
Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
) – 4:02
Personnel
* Kathryn Williams - vocals, guitar, electric guitar, glockenspiel, sampler, theremin, backing vocals & percussion
* Laura Reid - cello, bass guitar, organ & backing vocals
* David Scott - guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar & backing vocals
* Johnny Bridgwood - double bass
* Alex Tustin - drums
* Joe Montgomery - violin
Recording details
*Studio tracks recorded & mixed by Kathryn Williams & Dave Maughan, FMP Studios, Newcastle (October–November 2003)
*Live tracks ('Hallelujah' & 'These Days') recorded by John Fortis & mixed by Ed John
References
{{Authority control
2004 albums
Kathryn Williams albums
Covers albums