Videos

VIDEO: Straw Bear – Kitty

• 7th Mar 2013

Straw Bear are already drawing plaudits from every corner of the softly-softly appreciating music industry bods, so we were pleased when new single Kitty popped into our mailbox.

The band draw on influences from Van Morrison to Kevin Shields, both of whom are name-checked by the eponymous Kitty in her journey for creative inspiration.

We caught up with the band to find out more about Kitty…

What’s it about?
Thwarted artistic ambition and daydreams of hitting the big time.

Where was it recorded?
In the eerie Fenlands of Cambridgeshire, along with its parent album Black Bank.

Who are this Straw Bear?
Singer/lyricist Ian Ray and guitarist Chris Gray met at school in a dull market town in Cambridgeshire. Over time, Tom Shipp, Pas Struthers and Catie Wicks joined the fold and they are now spread out all over the south-east.

What’s going on in the video?
Each member of the band is caught in an uncompromising high definition close-up … scars, beauty spots and all.

But who will like this band?
People with an interest in psychedelia, alt-country, and the odd bit of wonky pop.

What do they listen to?
A predictable range of some of the usual suspects (Talking Heads, Neil Young, Nick Cave, Squeeze), and more recently Grizzly Bear, The Shins, Tame Impala, Other Lives.

Why do so many bands have ‘bear’ in their title?
God only knows, but this one took its name from a pagan Fenland festival.