Cathy Davey - Career

Career

Cathy Davey first came to be known as a backing vocalist alongside Carol Keogh for Ken McHugh's project Autamata. McHugh and Davey subsequently collaborated on what Hot Press described as "a mixture of otherworldly indie and soft space age melodica". Davey signed to EMI/Parlophone in 2003 in a deal which Hot Press later described as having "eclipsed even the high-profile signing of The Thrills". Her rise had been low-profile; she did not perform live until she had signed her record deal. Her four-track debut EP, "Come Over", released in 2004, and in which she "swoops and yelps her way through proceedings with her distinctive voice", was described by the magazine as "inviting comparisons with others before deciding that she'd rather be completely unique if it’s all the same with you".

Davey's debut album, Something Ilk, was recorded at a studio in Wales, produced by Ben Hillier whose previous credits included Blur and Elbow, and released in 2004. RTÉ reviewer Harry Guerin said it was "high on presence and very low on filler" and gave it three out of five stars. Hot Press remarked, "Not only is her voice elfin, immediate and distinct the songs are also hugely compelling. They are digestible without being lightweight, austere in places without seeming detached". The Irish Independent's Paul Byrne described it as "one of the best Irish albums of 2004". Davey performed a nationwide tour in September 2004. She also supported Graham Coxon and Supergrass during tours they undertook that year. The singer later dismissed Something Ilk, saying "I think the record company thought I was an indie rock chick when they signed me and that album is very much other people's idea of what I should sound like. I didn't have the confidence to say no to some of the things suggested". Davey claimed not to "know my arse from my elbow when I signed for them" and did not like performing those songs in a live arena. Despite this, the Irish Independent described her as "very talented—far more so than Hayes" but regretted that she had "failed to find an audience for her fine debut Something Ilk".

Davey performed a nationwide tour in late May 2007, debuting songs from her follow-up album which she initially referred to as Silversleeve. All but two of the songs were recorded in her home. The album, released under the title Tales of Silversleeve and produced by Liam Howe of Sneaker Pimps, was preceded by "Reuben", its first single, on 21 September 2007. Davey explained the title choice, "I had a runny nose when I was a child and let's just say I didn't wipe it with a tissue". This proved to be a successful move as it led to a Choice Music Prize nomination for 2007 Irish Album of the Year. RTÉ reviewer Harry Guerin said it was "even more imaginative" than her debut and gave it four out of five stars. entertainment.ie reviewer Lauren Murphy described the record as "Without doubt, one of the best albums of the year", noting "there's a magic about Tales of Silversleeve that makes it an album you're almost afraid to listen to twice, in case it's not as good as you remember the first time". The Irish Independent''s reviewer gave the album five stars, describing it as "a record that she can be proud of". Jim Carroll, The Irish Times rock critic, called it "The most charming pop album you’ll hear in Zero Seven".

After a series of residencies, Davey embarked on a pre-Christmas tour of Ireland in 2007. She appeared on the seventh series of Other Voices in early 2008. The singer represented Ireland at the Eurosonic Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, in January 2008. She performed at Childline Rocks in February 2008, followed by a performance at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in that March. Davey was dropped by her record company in mid-2008 alongside most of their client list. She headlined the Main Stage at Cork X Southwest in Skibbereen in July 2008. In August 2009, she headlined the Eurocultured Festival in Dublin's Smithfield Plaza and also performed at that year's Indie-pendence. Davey appeared at Electric Picnic 2008. She featured at The Music Show in the RDS in October 2008. The singer performed in Dublin's Iveagh Gardens during events to celebrate Africa Day on May 25.

Davey's song "Moving" has been used in a prominent Vodafone commercial in her native Ireland. Another song, "Sing for Your Supper", was described by the Irish Independent's Ed Power as "her biggest smash to date". The same reviewer described Davey's song "Reuben", a number one single, as "a skewed romantic tirade glazed in sugar-candy vocals".

Davey's third album, The Nameless, was released on May 7, 2010 (Ireland), with contributions from Conor J. O'brien and Neil Hannon. Lead single "Little Red" was released on April 21, 2010 and followed by an Irish tour in May. Davey performed on The Late Late Show on 23 April 2010. She performed at Oxegen 2010 in July. On July 16, 2010, to promote the second single from The Nameless album, Davey released a download only EP for "Army of Tears". The EP features three tracks: the original track "Army of Tears", a previously unreleased track "The Wandering" and a demo version of "Army of Tears".