''Strange Weather'' is an EP by singer-songwriter
Anna Calvi
Anna Margaret Michelle Calvi (born 24 September 1980) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her accolades include three Mercury Prize nominations, one Brit Awards, Brit Award nomination, and a European Border Breakers Award. She has b ...
, consisting entirely of covers. The EP was released on 15 July 2014.
The album was recorded in New York with producer
Thomas Bartlett and mastered at
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, London, Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of ...
by Miles Showell.
David Byrne
David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads.
Byrne has ...
issued a press release describing his involvement with the record:
"I’m a big fan of Anna's two records... and I caught her tour after her first record at Bowery Ballroom here in NY. ‘Epic’ I think is the word that is often used. So when Thomas Bartlett said he was going to be in the studio producing an EP of Anna doing covers I immediately agreed to join in. I was invited to suggest songs and I loved the last Keren Ann record and I thought Strange Weather had a haunting quality that might suit Anna.... so we did that, and Anna then suggested I join in on the
Connan Mockasin
Connan Tant Hosford, better known by the stage name Connan Mockasin, is a New Zealand musician, composer and record producer. Described as "a psych-funk oddball...a contrarian", Mockasin played a role in the contemporary crossover of Psychedeli ...
track she'd done too."
A music video for the title track, "Strange Weather", was released on 27 May 2014. It was directed in New York City by Alan Del Rio Ortiz and stars Kate Lyn Sheil. The single "Strange Weather" appeared on the French singles chart peaking at #123.
Critical reception
Gigwise described the leading track, "Papi Pacify", as having a "Morricone-esque, cinematic Western sense of melodrama, whilst retaining the shudder-inducing intimacy of the original. It's gorgeous - not least for the vulnerability displayed in Calvi's soaring vocal."
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
awarded the EP a 7/10, saying: "Potential cover performers take note: this is how you do it."
The Skinny rated it four stars out of five: "Diverging from the fiery nature of some of Calvi’s original material, Strange Weather stands testament to a confident stylistic distinctiveness that spreads well over many textures."
Track listing
Personnel
*
Anna Calvi
Anna Margaret Michelle Calvi (born 24 September 1980) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her accolades include three Mercury Prize nominations, one Brit Awards, Brit Award nomination, and a European Border Breakers Award. She has b ...
– vocals (lead), guitar
*
David Byrne
David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads.
Byrne has ...
- vocals
*
Matt Johnson – drums
*
Nico Muhly - string arrangements
*
Thomas Bartlett - Producer
* Miles Showell - Mastering
References
{{Authority control
2014 EPs
Anna Calvi albums
Covers EPs
Domino Recording Company EPs