She Makes War ‘Direction of Travel’ album launch – Paper Thin video
Watch the ‘Paper Thin’ video from She Makes War featuring the epic Tanya Donelly (Belly, Breeder, Throwing Muses)!
Gloompop DIY chanteuse She Makes War launched her third album Direction of Travel in March 2016. Watch the Paper Thin video below featuring Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses, Breeders)…
Watch the Paper Thin video
This gorgeous video was shot on location in Boston and New York (if you’re a local, you may recognise some of the locations). After editing it at her kitchen table in Bristol, Laura Kidd (She Makes War) sent it to illustration maven Viviane Schwarz for further animated adornment. There have been some fantastic women working on this project all round!
We’re so, so happy that Laura Kidd got to collaborate with Tanya Donelly. Who wouldn’t be? Laura says: “I plucked up the courage to email Paper Thin over and ask if she fancied adding some vocals. She did! – I couldn’t believe it! – and so the song was complete.”
“I wanted to create something that felt very intimate and tender,” says Laura of the Paper Thin video. “Something reflecting the song’s message about personal redemption and trying to see and create magic in the world. Now and then songs really do just fall from the sky – I was sitting around at my parents’ house after Christmas 2014 and had to quickly make my excuses and go upstairs with my ukulele to flesh out the melody that had popped into my head. I recorded it on my phone so I wouldn’t forget anything, and as soon as I got home to Bristol I spent a day in my home studio finishing it all off, tightening up the lyrics, adding vocal harmonies, omnichord and keyboard sounds. As I was finishing off the ukulele recording my beloved dog, Mister Benji, ran into the room with his collar jingling. Perfect timing, pooch! He features similarly on two other songs – “(Love) Like Liars” from my first record and “Delete” from my second. Listen carefully!”
Direction of Travel – the third She Makes War album
Here on Mookychick we talk about She Makes War all the time. Sometimes we even interview her – we’re chatty like that. You may already be familar with her music, but if not, Direction of Travel is a great place to start.
As well as Tanya Donelly, you’ll find other inspiring guest recording artists on Direction of Travel – spot that reverberating cello line from Martin McCarrick (Marc Almond, Siouxsie Sioux, Therapy!).
Laura Kidd’s thoughts on the emotional content of the album: “Direction Of Travel is about a terrible year (2014) and Paper Thin is about recovering from all the awful things that happened to me and the people around me that year. I truly believe that whatever the world throws at you, the only direction of travel is ONWARDS – but it’s hard to remember that during the dark times.”
“The lyrics in the middle section are there to remind me in future:
I see stars
And I smell roses (on good days)
All this is ours
Let’s do amazing things with good hearts”
She Makes War isn’t afraid to go there into the dark and look at the grim things in life, for sure. But at the end of the day her soul is all about magic, positivity, good times and glitter. When you check out her music, expect minor chords with a gorgeously melancholy undercurrent and lyrics to make the heart sing.
And if you’ve wondered about which direction of travel the album refers to, it’s… onwards.
If you enjoyed the Paper Thin video, please do support this indie artist and go buy the sounds x
