Nat Johnson & The Figureheads – I’m Across, I’m Ashore (2012, UK)
[This guest post was written by @satsuma about number 356 on The List. The album was also submitted by satsuma.]
Nat Johnson moved to Sheffield to study at the University in 2002 and quickly became a leading light of the local music scene, supporting festivals, organising gigs and contributing to magazines. She formed the band Monkey Swallows the Universe with fellow student Kevin Gori and others, and produced two albums of critically acclaimed folk tinged pop before putting that project on hold in 2008 and working on solo material, before re-uniting with Gori in 2009 for the band Nat Johnson and the Figureheads.
This was their second album, crowdfunded and produced in 2012 with a launch party at Sheffield City Hall. The music still has a folk feel, but with a wider range of instruments (including a musical sawblade) and a rockier edge in places, but the heart is still Nat’s gorgeous, pure voice with lyrics ranging from the wistful to the surreal. If anyone is wondering, a pie bird is a little china figurine that is baked in the crust of a pie and lets out the steam as it cooks, playing a merry tune and keeping the pastry crisp.
As well as this album, Johnson has worked with film maker Andrea Kannes on a documentary called We Lived Alone about the enigmatic folk musician Connie Converse who struggled for recognition on the New York folk scene of the 1960’s before going missing in mysterious circumstances in 1974. As part of the project Johnson recorded several songs dedicated to Connie Converse as well as covers of her music, feeling an empathy for a fellow musician.
After one final farewell gig, Johnson moved to Whitley Bay in the North East of England to be closer to her family, but she will always have a link with the Steel City.
#ConnieConverse #folk #folkPop #MonkeySwallowsTheUniverse #music #musicDiscovery #NatJohnson #NatJohnsonAndTheFigureheads #sheffield
1001 Other Albums
1001 Other Albums
