Track of the Day: Catherine Elms – Frustrations
If Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls were to have a child with Tori Amos, the chances are it would be Catherine Elms. With her eclectic fusion of hard rock and baroque pop, the UK-based singer-songwriter ensnares your senses and captures your soul. This is my introduction to Elms, but it appears she is already turning heads across the globe. After years of live streams and bedroom demos, Elms is pushing forward and releasing her studio-recorded work on music streaming sites – something I am very grateful for. Come with us as we look at (or rather listen to) her debut single ‘Frustrations’.
Featured on notable independent blogs like Sinusoidal Music, Right Chord Music, Motion News, Rock Era Magazine and YMX, Elms is turning heads across the blogosphere. Described by Mystic Sons as an artist who channels bold, soaring energy, Elms’ material combines sonic fury and ethereal haunting in her music. ‘Frustrations’ demonstrates this unique skill with the melodic arrangement of pounding drums, powerful guitars and stirring piano.
Recorded at The Nest Studios with the orchestral band Birdeatsbaby and drums by Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls, ‘Frustrations’ oozes a dark, soul-stirring melody. Elms’ vocal execution is one of the more intriguing elements because of its reminiscence to Amanda Palmer, but with a smoother, more soothing tinge to its tone. Charming and intimate, Catherine Elms embraces obscurity with her dulcet tones; however, it is the lyrical content that adds poignancy to ‘Frustrations’.
Penned as a controversial piece touching on the topics of injustice and inequality, ‘Frustrations’ is an intense narrative urging people to make changes in this uncertain world. Elms explains that ‘Frustrations’ “explores the feeling of wanting to stand up for what’s right – be it through activism, work or just in the interactions and little kindnesses in our daily lives – and facing constant opposition. When it all feels impossible or overwhelming, you can get jaded and burned out, but you must dig deep and remind yourself why this happens…this song is for those of us who are tired of fighting injustice in a world that wasn’t built for us.”
Filled with intimate intensity, sincerity, sentimentality and insightfulness, Catherine Elms’ debut single captivates audiences who “long for something more for ourselves, for the world and for each other.”
For more from Catherine Elms check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
