Music: Caitlin Rose

Jeff Hemmings chats with Nashville’s Caitlin Rose

Straight out of nowhere (well, Nashville, to be exact, Caitlin Rose utterly beguiled with her sensational country-flavoured debut album Own Side Now; full of melodic touches, her nectar voice and emotionally wrought songwriting. And it was here in the UK that really started the ball rolling for her…

“What if I said I hated it [England], wouldn’t that be amazing?!” she says, mischievously. “No, I really love it there,” she says on the phone from her home in Nashville. “I wouldn’t have anything going on without it.”

She first came over in support of Own Side Now just a couple of years ago. “That was my first touring gig; other than running down to Atlanta for a weekend.” Own Side Now was an immediate success here, her gigs were packed, full of indie/country/folk/americana fans eager to see what all the fuss was about. It’s a slightly different story in the States though: “The record has come out four times here, so it was a really long process, trying to form an audience – but I’m not really thinking about it.”

Self-deprecating and modest, Rose is perhaps still getting used to the accolades. “I got something equivalent to vertigo yesterday, just looking at a press sheet, but I think it’s going to be good year. I enjoy it, but don’t like to think about my presence too much.”

She’s also a good ol’ gal, someone who likes a drink or two; we trade our thoughts on our respective hangovers: hers is just starting (it’s the morning there), mine is just beginning to fade (it’s 6pm here)…… “It’s hangover time,” she exclaims. “I’m ready to start drinking again! I got up to no good last night. I’m starting to dress like a teacher… I like to go to bars and get really drunk, looking like someone’s mum… it holds my composer and I can drink a lot more! Bourbon usually helps with everything, except with staying sober!”

Her penchant for the strong stuff isn’t affecting her songwriting though; the new album The Stand-in is a brilliant follow-up, a little more progressive and fully formed, but still stuffed full of cracking yarns and melodies. “It’s a little bit more imaginative, and hopefully it’ll be a lot more fun to perform.”
Caitlin Rose, The Haunt, Monday 25 February, £10, 8pm