As Kate Davis takes the leap from conservatory-trained jazz musician to experimental art-rock singer, she’s found a new home within herself. This feeling is at the heart of her upcoming second album, Fish Bowl, set to be released March 24th via ANTI- Records. In Fish Bowl‘s 12 deeply personal tracks, Davis tells the story of her own hero’s journey, as she steps away from her old life and finds inner peace. Through the eyes of the central character, FiBo, we see her realization that the community she cultivated has turned on her and her quest for real change.
“Monster Mash,” the album’s opening track, was one of the first songs written for the record. According to Davis, “This is the moment where the character is abandoned by everything that she knew. And there’s this feeling of isolation in living your life up to a point where you’re like, ‘This is what I’ve chosen.’ But when you transition into a different phase of life, it’s easy to feel like a monster, to feel like you’re harmful to people, or that people are fearful of you.”
Growing up in Portland where she began playing violin at age five and bass at age thirteen, Davis later moved to New York City to attend the Manhattan School Of Music. At night, she would sneak down to shows in Brooklyn, where she watched indie-rock innovators and secretly dreamed of breaking away from the academic rigor of the jazz world she inhabited. It is this journey that is illustrated with vivid clarity on the highly conceptual ‘Fish Bowl,’ coming three years after her debut album, ‘Trophy.'”She has this background of tremendous musical chops and that is poured into this record, but at the same time she is able to speak to her experiences,” said Stephen Thompson of ‘Trophy’ on NPR’s ‘All Songs Considered.’
In the time since ‘Trophy,’ Davis has expanded her sonic universe, drawing inspiration from artists like Laura Veirs and Tori Amos. ‘Fish Bowl’ packs a punch with its charging guitar and percussion, but also pulls back in equal measure. Davis’ sharp, harmonizing vocals lead the charge over a range of tempos and moods, shifting from ethereal and smooth to biting. With influences from Wim Wenders films and the liminal space between outer space and the depths of the sea, Davis continues to push forward with her clear-eyed determination. The indie-rock world is about to gain a new sonic voyager with the release of Fish Bowl.
Head below to discover Kate Davis’ sound for yourself…