MOONSHINE out May 24.
MOONSHINE is the fifth record from Kate Maki, grade school teacher by day, songwriter by night. It is the lively northern companion to Maki's previous introverted desert album, TWO SONG WEDDING.
With aspirations of recording in her basement around one microphone, Maki invited a group of veteran musician friends fromCuff The Duke, The Pinecones, Fembots, and The Minotaurs to Sudbury for a couple days of fun in the snow. On December 20 and 21, 2008, during one of the coldest weeks in history, underground and under a full moon, in between saunas and gourmet feasts, the band worked through the songs quickly and effortlessly. Drums, upright bass, guitars, pedal steel, piano, organ, accordion, and harmonized vocals forge the album's full, live sound. More of a reunion than a recording session, MOONSHINE reflects the unexpected and endearing moments that can only come from great players playing great songs.
Kate Maki has been recording and touring since 2003. She has collaborated live and on record with a number of fellow songwriters including Ruth Minnikin, Howe Gelb, Dale Murray, Nathan Lawr, and most recently with Frederick Squire. When Kate is not on tour, she divides her time between substitute teaching and managing her independent record label.
"Like the best country singers, alt or otherwise, Maki's voice is conversational yet somehow self-contained, as if it'd be quite happy talking to itself sitting on an open plain, or whistling to itself behind a wheel." - Mojo
"She can sell a song with only her voice and an acoustic guitar." - Pitchfork
“Canada's newly crowned princess of daydreamy songwriting - somewhere in the magical musical realm of Mazzy Star, Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood, and Belle & Sebastian.” - San Francisco Chronicle
“The country swagger and sweet sincerity of Johnny Cash and June Carter combined.” - Deadbolt
“In her own way, Maki rocks as hard as the fiercest metal band. Anyone that can get an audience stomping their feet and silently swaying in the course of a 20 minute set is well on their way to musical success.” - Chart Attack
“High school teacher by day, singer-songwriter by night Kate Maki comes over as a countrified Neil Young or Jolie Holland and doesn’t need her behaviour management skills to force appreciation from the crowd for a smart and witty performance.” - SoundsXP
"Homespun alt-country folk-rock ditties that go down easy, like Southern Comfort and root beer."- Now Toronto
"An unencumbered singer-songwriter with an easy country-parlour delivery." - Globe and Mail
"There's something disarming about her gently fluttering country-folk delivery." - Uncut
“A wild and wondrous depth. A Canadian iconoclast.” - LA Weekly
“Kate’s a hardy country type of pioneer woman. Her guitar pickin rhythm is like a drum, and she can belt out, even when she is quiet, like a storm. Her songs represent what the Canadians have, a real natural beauty of writing tunes that feel like a friend you’ve never met, but that you’ve known forever.” - Howe Gelb
"Kate Maki deserves our attention, and sooner rather than later." - Americana UK