AWARD-WINNING WELSH MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST THE ANCHORESS RETURNS WITH HER CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SECOND ALBUM 'THE ART OF LOSING'
Featuring the BBC 6Music playlisted singles 'Show Your Face' and ‘The Art of Losing’, plus a brand new duet with James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) and drumming from Sterling Campbell (David Bowie, Duran Duran).
‘The Art of Losing’ single has garnered great attention including Sunday Times "Hottest Track" and a video feature on Sunday Brunch.
Interviews for the album include features with the Independent, Quietus, Prog, Yorkshire Evening Post, Scottish Herald, The Sun, Line of Best Fit, Record Collector, Clash, and many more.
During release week, confirmed events include Tim’s Twitter Listening Party, live sessions for Times Radio & BBC Wales, appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row, Rough Trade Q&A album launch event, Sunday Brunch TV feature, co-hosting Drowned in Sound’s radio show on Soho Radio, and the announcement of a new headline show at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.
The Art of Losing is the second album from Welsh multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies), following up on her critically acclaimed debut album, Confessions of A Romance Novelist, which was named amongst the Guardian critics’ Albums of the Year, won HMV’s Welsh Album of the Year, Best Newcomer at the PROG awards, and a nomination for the Welsh Music Prize.
Written and produced by Davies, The Art Of Losing ambitiously navigates the topic of loss in all its forms and was written and recorded during an unfeasibly busy few years as Davies found solace and purpose in a range of projects whilst navigating her griefs. Most recently this came via the release of her collaborative album In Memory of My Feelings with Bernard Butler (on Pete Paphides’ label Needle Mythology), duetting with the Manic Street Preachers on Resistance Is Futile, and being personally invited by The Cure’s Robert Smith to perform at his Meltdown Festival. She also brought a new generation of ears to legendary Scottish rock band Simple Minds, where she spent much of the last five years appearing on the Big Music (2015) and Walk Between Worlds (2018).
Confirmed review coverage includes a lead review in Mojo, album of the month in Prog, reviews in Sunday Times, Record Collector, Classic Pop, Uncut, Under the Radar and Clash Magazine.
REVIEWS FOR THE ART OF LOSING:
“Visceral, uncompromising.” THE SUNDAY TIMES
“Swaggering synthpop. Infectiously buoyant.” ☆☆☆☆ UNCUT
“Cuts latter-day Bowie art rock shapes” ☆☆☆☆ MOJO
“Intense, insistent and inspired… it’s flesh and blood triumphing over the cerebral.” PROG
“A defiant and glorious second album. Davies emerges triumphant from all of life’s extremes… an intensely compelling record.” ☆☆☆☆ CLASSIC POP
“Shining alt-pop from an artisan of darkness. A literate, bristling record of catharsis and dramatic defiance.” ☆☆☆☆ RECORD COLLECTOR
Critical praise for The Anchoress’ debut album:
"A devastatingly powerful voice ☆☆☆☆" MOJO
"Hounds Of Love, updated for the 21st century." PROG
"Davies is making music like nobody else at the moment." NME
"One of the year’s most affecting records... a collection of songs that sets a high bar for intense, soul-tearing pop music. 9/10." THE LINE OF BEST FIT
"Addresses the peaks and troughs of love, commitment and betrayal...Fascinating." SUNDAY TIMES
"A rich and complex debut...a blackly witty breakup album...Compelling." THE OBSERVER
"Like Karen Carpenter singing John Grant." UNCUT
"A flawless and sophisticated hyper-literate pop record." GQ
"A record which could sneak big ideas past the listeners of daytime radio." Q
"...rich and satisfyingly poptastic." THE QUIETUS
Created in May 2008 to provide a home for the growing post-progressive genre and an evolving, flexible and adventurous style of music without boundaries.
supported by 27 fans who also own “The Art Of Losing”
The album takes off nicely with David Longdon's "The Strangest Times", but then gets into immediate free fall and deeply underwater for the next few tracks, quite unexpectedly. Fortunately, it recovers with Nick D'Virgilio's "Apollo" (hey, this guy CAN write good music, although he hides this ability most of the time) and the remaining three tracks, one of which is another Longdon masterpiece. So in the end the final impression is somewhat in the positive range. Sven B. Schreiber (sbs)
The Long Island metal band's third album etches arena-sized hooks into their jagged compositions, deftly balancing experimental and poppy inclinations. Bandcamp Album of the Day May 12, 2022
In Adrian Snood’s songs, soulful vocals and slow-moving alt-pop swirl together to create something distinctly moving. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 1, 2023
supported by 20 fans who also own “The Art Of Losing”
Fell in love with BBT recently, absolutely love the stories they tell and the music.
Very sad to hear about David’s passing, listening now is quite moving, moved to tears from time to time, but we move on as I hope BBT will with David in our hearts. tonyauroristony58