Cate Le Bon
| Cate Le Bon | |
|---|---|
 Le Bon performing at The Arch, Village Underground, London on 23 April 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cate Timothy |
| Born | Penboyr, Wales |
| Genres | Folk, rock, pop |
| Occupations | Songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 2007-present |
| Labels | Turnstile |
| Associated acts | Neon Neon, Gruff Rhys, Super Furry Animals, Y Niwl, Richard James, H. Hawkline, Sweet Baboo, The Gentle Good, Manic Street Preachers |
| Website | catelebon.com |
Cate Le Bon is a singer-songwriter from Penboyr, Wales, now based in Los Angeles. She sings in both English and Welsh.
Le Bon first gained public attention when she supported Gruff Rhys (of the Super Furry Animals) on his 2007 solo UK tour. She has since played Glastonbury, Latitude and the Green Man Festival. Le Bon appeared as a guest vocalist on Neon Neon's 2008 single "I Lust U" from their album Stainless Style. She also performed lead vocals on the track 4 Lonely Roads from the Manic Street Preachers album Rewind the Film, released in September 2013.
Career
Le Bon's first official release was a Welsh language EP, Edrych yn Llygaid Ceffyl Benthyg ("Looking in the Eyes of a Borrowed Horse", similar to the English expression "to look a gift horse in the mouth"), on Peski Records in 2008.[1] She also self-released the double A-side debut single "No One Can Drag Me Down / Disappear" (described by Gruff Rhys as “Bobbie Gentry and Nico fight over a Casio keyboard; melody wins!”) on her website. Le Bon worked alongside Gorky's Zygotic Mynci's Megan Childs, who contributed violin, and Super Furry Animals and Thrills collaborator John Thomas, who added pedal steel.[2]
Her debut album, Me Oh My (previously known by the working title Pet Deaths), was released in 2009.
In 2010, Le Bon provided backing vocals on several tracks from The Gentle Good's second album, Tethered for the Storm.
In 2011, Lex Records artist Boom Bip featured Le Bon's voice on the track "Do as I Do" on the Zig Zaj release.
In 2012, Le Bon released the album Cyrk, followed by the Cyrk II EP.
In January 2013, Le Bon moved to Los Angeles to further her career in the US.[3] Her latest album, Mug Museum, released November 2013, was produced by Noah Georgeson and Josiah Steinbrick in Los Angeles, and features her partner H. Hawkline on guitar and Sweet Baboo on bass. She also provided guest vocals on the track "Slow Train" from Kevin Morby's debut album Harlem River.
In September and October 2013, Le Bon supported Manic Street Preachers on several of their tour dates.
Style
Le Bon is most singled out by critics for her dark lyrical content and her "haunting voice". Le Bon claimed that "early experiences with a string of pet deaths had a profound lasting effect on me" and inform her self-admitted "abnormal fixation with death".[4]
Discography
Albums
- Me Oh My (Irony Bored, 2009)
- Cyrk (The Control Group, 2012)
- Mug Museum (Turnstile, 2013)
EPs
- Edrych yn Llygaid Ceffyl Benthyg (Peski Records, 2008)
- Cyrk II (2012)
Singles
- "No One Can Drag Me Down / Disappear" (self-released, 2007)
- "I Can't Help You" (Turnstile, 2014)
Notes
- ↑ "Peski - About Cate Le Bon". Peski Records.
- ↑ "Gruff Rhys collaborator readies debut release". NME. 3 April 2007.
- ↑ Twitter / CateLeBon: @husharbors moving to LA for
- ↑ BBC Wales - Music - Cate Le Bon