Monica Richards' 'Kindred' is her most personal album yet, songs written for all the kindred spirits in her life. Included in every song are animal and natural sounds she recorded from her current backyard, which borders a nature preserve and creek. Monica lives next to the second largest bat colony in Austin, TX - which is featured in the sounds of the song "Under the Bridge". Monica: "Sounds on 'Kindred' include bats, cicadas, frogs, tortoise taps, different kinds of birds, wing patterns, thunder, rain… Some of the beats on the record are actually sampled wing flaps or steps, sounds I recorded and played around with. It's a quirky, loving tribute to all the loves of my life, almost every song was inspired by one of the animals in my life." There's also a wistful retro feel to this album when it incorporates old school electronica, and Monica uses her voice more as an instrument on some songs, letting her vocals weave within the layers of the music. Other songs she is bare, raw and emotional, such as "Speak" and "Let You Go". "Let You Go" was written for her dying cat, Mina, but it also comes across as a very haunting love song. Monica: "Though this CD was really done by me alone, I was able to get some great help from friends. Justin Stephens mixed some key songs, 'Fall', which he fully remixed and played bass and guitar on, '50 Euro Boy' as well as my jazzy recreation of the FatM song, 'Sparks'. Steve Niles helped me write 'Gil's Theme', which makes a great driving soundtrack as well as 'Undulatos Esperatus'. Caroline Jago (bass/strings) and Lesley Malone (percussion) sent me wonderful tracks for '50 Euro Boy', 'Undulatos Esperatus', and 'The Enchanted Mirror'. The brilliant Paul Mercer is featured on 'Kindred' and 'Let You Go'. I was able to get some classic cello work from Marzia Rangel for the opening piece, 'Kindred'. But I have one special guest I am very pleased about…" Monica's cat, Penelope, plays piano on the album. "She kept running across the keys, so I hit record." Fans of her early band Strange Boutique will be thrilled to know SB bassist Steve Willett wrote a song with Monica entitled "The Bird and the Snake". He plays bass, guitar and percussion, which gives it that great Strange Boutique feel. There's something calling from the past in the music of 'Kindred', it's a strange little masterpiece.
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