“We are all wet sponges.”
So says Charlotte Hatherley, waxing charmingly lyrical about a radical change of direction that risks alienating a big chunk of her fanbase. Reinvention is a hazardous business in the world of rock ‘n’ pop, unless you’re a mutant genius like David Bowie. Just ask Robbie Williams, who isn’t. The Take That star flirted unsuccessfully with indie, clawed back his audience by re-embracing pop then re-buggered it with a bizarre rap/dance record, the infamous ‘Rudebox.’
Hatherley – who came to prominence via a spunky spell in Ash, then several solo records – is now embarking on her own potential ‘Rudebox’. The singer/guitarist has re-emerged as Sylver Tongue, all masks, make-up and a bold new synth-based sound. A long-term devotee of David Sylvain’s new romantic outfit Japan, her change of ethos began after a tour with Bat for Lashes – the ‘wet sponge’ effect.
“I learnt many things from playing with Natasha. Above all I loved being around female musicians, it really helped my confidence and allowed me to find a more emotional side of myself that, after touring with boys for over 10 years, I’d kept under wraps. It certainly opened me up lyrically. I also toured with Bryan Ferry who has an amazing eye for detail and a very strong visual aesthetic which was very inspiring.”
The new musical ethos took some time to fully ferment, but eventually the high-concept persona burst forth. “Going under the same name didn’t feel…. daring enough,” she says. “Sylver Tongue is now my main focus and I feel like I can fully embrace the theatrical side of things. My mum is an actress you know, it has always been in me!”
The theatrical side isn’t for everyone. Also swapping organic sounds for more cutting-edge material is Kathryn Williams, the Mercury-nominated singer-songwriter. Generally regarded as a folkie, her new project The Pond is a collaboration with bassist-to-the-stars Simon Edwards – he’s played with everyone from Talk Talk to Michael Jackson, and on Williams’ earlier work – and wife Ginny Clee, who has sung with several rock legends. Together they’ve conjured something “darker, funkier and edgier,” says Edwards, featuring varied beats and even a guest rapper. The album was then mixed by Adrian Utley, the co-founder of Portishead, who were clearly an influence:
“Not that we’d ever try to be a cover band, but I think it’s really important to have directions for where the music is,” says Williams. “And his name is a shortcut to people getting to know what we were trying to do.”
The Pond is a huge departure from Williams’ solo work, although a new look isn’t on the cards. While Edwards and Clee were keen to “have an identity, an outfit”, their colleague really wasn’t.
I just feel that there’s too much of that, I get really bored of ‘outfit over substance’ – Paloma Faith,” she says, with some distaste. “All the people I love, I can close my eyes, listen to their music and be taken away, not ‘ooh, I really like that top they’re wearing.’ There seems to be a pandemic of surface being the most important thing.”
How would Hatherley respond to that? “If the music isn’t up to much then of course it’s convenient to fall back onto visuals to put some meat on the bones,” she says, “but when both elements are amazing it’s inspiring and takes you into another realm. Which is what I believe music and art should do.”
A silver tongue indeed.
