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Laura Kidd

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She Makes War
Birth nameLaura Kidd
OriginLondon, England
Genres alternative rock, gloom-pop,
LabelsThe state51 Conspiracy
WebsiteSheMakesWar.com

Multi-instrumentalist Laura Kidd writes and produces her own music as She Makes War. Her third album, Direction Of Travel was released in April 2016.[1] She has released two previous albums Disarm (2010) and Little Battles (2012).

She Makes War’s sound has been dubbed ‘gloom-pop', ‘a modern musical Boudica’,[2] and as ‘The emotional resonance of Elliott Smith colliding with the barbed vigour of Sleater-Kinney’ (Gigwise).[3] Her music has a rich cocktail of influences from early Echo & The Bunnymen to Belly, The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Blur, Elastica and Suede, Bikini Kill, Nirvana, Hanne Hukkelberg, Cat Power, Carina Round, Radiohead, My Brightest Diamond and Bon Iver.

She has received support from BBC6 Music’s Lauren Laverne (‘She’s Ace’) and Tom Robinson, plus The Line of Best Fit, Gigwise, and Songwriting Magazine among others. Drown Me Out, the first single from Direction of Travel, received its premiere exclusively at The Line of Best Fit on 12 February 2016.[4]

History

She Makes War's third album Direction Of Travel (The state51 Conspiracy, 8 April 2016) features guest appearances from Tanya Donelly and Mark Chadwick. Laura Kidd plays most of the instruments herself, with guests including Clive Deamer and Andy Sutor on drums, The McCarricks and Nicole Robson on strings, and Cajita on piano. The album was produced by Laura Kidd and mixed by Dan Austin (Doves/Pixies). Tanya Donelly's (Breeders, Throwing Muses, Belly), guest appearance on the song 'Paper Thin' was described as "the perfect augmentation to Laura’s beautiful lyrics".[5] Tanya Donelly also features in the music video for the song.

In 2015, She Makes War released Disarm: 15 an EP of ‘tender reworking of songs’ from the first album. She Makes War’s first two albums Disarm (2010) and Little Battles (2012), share stories from the personal to the political, dealing with matters of love, loss, birth, therapy, murder, abandonment, and hope.[6] Their sonic and thematic collisions - analogue with digital, war with peace, and technology with the natural world - are underpinned by Kidd’s bewitching, pastoral vocals and violent guitars, and supported by a plethora of additional instruments from ukulele to autoharp, melodica, piano, violin, harp, saxophone and three part recorder ensemble. Both albums were co-produced by Laura Kidd and Myles Clarke of Sparkadia, Kid Harpoon, and Belakiss.

Touring

She Makes War has toured extensively in the UK and Europe both as a solo act and with a full band. She has also supported Suede, The Levellers, tUnE-yArDs, Gruff Rhys, The Magic Numbers, Duke Special, Shlomo, Midge Ure, New Model Army, Glen Matlock and Earl Slick, Nadine Shah, Erica Nockalls and Miles Hunt, Chris Helme and Drugstore.

Laura has also toured, providing bass and vocals, for artists including Tricky, Viv Albertine, Lil' Chris, The Penelopes, The Young Punx and Alex Parks, directs her own music videos and presents regular online gigs for listeners around the globe.

Alongside the release of third album Direction of Travel (2016), She Makes War announced a series of UK tour dates commencing May 2016.

Other Projects

Breakfast With Apollo

In 2012 Kidd launched her regular Breakfast With Apollo music nights in London, seeking to improve the gigging experience for bands and audiences by creating a coherent and cohesive format, encouraging collaborations between bands, educating both parties on sensible gig pricing and the consequences of this and promoting the shows with endless enthusiasm and attention to detail. The events were well-received, continuing into 2016 in Bristol, London, Coventry and beyond.

Stand Up

In 2015, she wrote and appeared in one-woman show "Sh*t Girlfriend" at Edinburgh Fringe, a blend of humorous spoken word and melancholy music performance, sharing tales of real life on the road and Laura’s ill-fated attempts at finding love along the way. Her show was described as 'a charming hour of biographical storytelling and music…perfectly executed acoustic gems' -The List.[7]

Discography

Albums

  • Disarm, 2010
  • Disarm: Remixed, 2011
  • Little Battles, 2012
  • Rattlesnake Live (live album), 2013
  • Live at The Half Moon (live album), 2013
  • Live at The Islington (live album), 2013
  • Direction Of Travel, 2016

EPs

  • Three...Two...One.., 2009
  • Disarm: The Live EP, 2010
  • The Butterflies Audiovisual EP, 2013
  • Disarm: 15 EP, 2015

Singles

  • Let This Be, 2010
  • I Am, 2010
  • In This Boat, 2012
  • Drown Me Out, 2016

References

  1. ^ COMING SOON FROM STATE51: SHE MAKES WAR
  2. ^ Louder Than War Live Review
  3. ^ Premiere: The Distorted Diatribe of She Makes War and 'I Am'
  4. ^ Bristol's She Makes War is unveiling blinding new cut "Drown Me Out" on Best Fit
  5. ^ Lauren Laverne BBC6 Music MPFree
  6. ^ She Makes War Website
  7. ^ The List
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