If you live in the city, sometimes it’s hard to escape, especially if you’re like me and don’t own a car. But music can transport you to bucolic idyll even when you’re surrounded by concrete. This is the theme of a playlist UK singer-songwriter Katy J Pearson made us. Her terrific third album Someday, Now does a good job of that too (listen below) but here she offers up 10 songs from the likes of Joan Baez, Beach Boys, Julia Holter, The Incredible String Band, and more.
Katy says, “This playlist is a bunch of songs that take me to the countryside and my home sonically. Of dappled sunlight of trees arching on a country road and the rolling hills of the West Country at dusk.” Listen and read her commentary on all her playlist picks below.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5msjoIqVMcJTMs10HlwmLY?si=tQhdiUFIQx6S52iSWIB01A
Katy J Pearson’s “Sonic Nature In The City”
The Beach Boys – “A Day In The Life of a Tree”
Surf’s Up is just the most brilliant record. This song makes me feel so emotional and when I was wandering around in the big city this song always made me feel better. My parents live in Devon and whenever I missed my family this song made me feel closer to them.
Ugly – “Icy Windy Sky”
Ugly are an upcoming band based in London and I befriended them whilst living in London this year. This song is just so stunning and really takes me somewhere magical. They all have such beautiful voices. It has a bit of a Radiohead vibe to it I think but just feels so warm and like a hug from a forest.
Julia Holter – “Feel You”
This song just really takes you to Julia’s world and life. I remember watching her at Green Man a few years ago and the rain was truly pouring and we are surrounded by the beautiful Brecon Beacons. This song always takes me back to that memory and feeling.
Orbury Common – “Bonnie”
Orbury Common are very old friends of mine and their debut record is just excellent. This song really is so magical and always keeps me calm and takes me home. I grew up in the countryside you see and it reminds me of the rolling hills of Stroud and everything folkloric.
Sally Oldfield – “Song of the Bow”
I am obsessed with Sally Oldfield at the moment and think this song is so good. I love her voice, it’s so strong and the elements and production of this song are so cool and remind me a bit of The Sensual World by Kate Bush.
Arnold Bax, Vernon Handley – “Spring Fire, GP 153: 1. In the Forest Before Dawn”
My dad showed me this classic piece a few months ago and it really takes me back to big walks in the forest with him and particularly a walk near the family home in Devon, it’s the most beautiful walk ending at a river with a lovely old tree.
Daisy Rickman – “Bleujen an Howl”
Daisy Rickman is a brilliant musician and songwriter from Cornwall.
This song is sung in Cornish which I think is very special and vital when the language has died out so much which is so sad. Kernewek is a protected and promoted language. This song takes me to the coast and the sea. I have to swim in the sea regularly otherwise I miss it too much.
Joan Baez – “Banks of The Ohio”
“Banks of the Ohio” is a 19th century muddy ballad written by unknown authors so a song that has been played and sung through generations and as it has grown it has been changed over time. I love Joan’s cover of it and when I had days in London where I felt a bit out of place and overwhelmed this song helped.
Leah Senior – “Pony”
Last year I spent three months in Australia and I saw Leah play in Melbourne. This song always reminds me of that time and particularly a camping trip I did with my friends to the 12 apostles and Anglesea. It was so beautiful. Me and my friends went to one beach and had a picnic surrounded by thousands of blue bottle jellyfish that had been washed up!
The Incredible String Band- “Air”
This was my Victoria Line tube song in London for a while. “The Vicky Line” doesn’t half overwhelm with its constant squeaky noises so I always turn this song up to the max to make myself calmer whilst travelling from place to place. I love the lyrical sentiments of this song.
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Katy will be on tour with The Last Dinner Party across the UK and Europe later this fall, and all dates are here:
Katy J Pearson – 2024 Tour Dates
28.10.24 – L’Olympia – PARIS *
29.10.24 – Cirque Royal – BRUSSELS *
31.10.24 – Paradiso – AMSTERDAM *
02.11.24 – E-Werk – COLOGNE *
03.11.24 – Tivoli Vredenberg – UTRECHT *
05.11.24 – L’Epiciere Moderne – LYON *
06.11.24 – Ton Halle- MUNICH *
07.11.24 – Uber Eats Music Hall – BERLIN *
10.11.24 – Roxy – PRAGUE *
12.11.24 – Museums Quarter Halle – VIENNA *
13.11.24 – X-TRA – ZURICH *
14.11.24 – Barezzi Festival @ Teatro Regio – PARMA
16.11.24 – Rockhal – LUXEMBOURG *
17.11.24 – 013 poppodium – TILBURG *
25.11.24 – Lido – MARGATE
26.11.24 – Concorde 2 – BRIGHTON
28.11.24 – 1865 – SOUTHAMPTON
29.11.24 – SWX – BRISTOL
30.11.24 – The Foundry – SHEFFIELD
02.12.24 – New Century Hall – MANCHESTER
03.12.24 – St Luke’s – GLASGOW
04.12.24 – Irish Centre – LEEDS
05.12.24 – Castle and Falcon – BIRMINGHAM
05.02.25 – KOKO – LONDON
* with The Last Dinner Party