Bat for Lashes | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Crafting a mystical indie-rock sound that drew comparisons to Kate Bush and Björk, Bat for Lashes is the project of Natasha Khan. Born into the Khan family of squash players -- which included her father Rahmat and her grandfather Nasrullah -- the half-Pakistani, half-English singer/songwriter moved to Hertfordshire, England when she was five and taught herself to play piano when she was 11. She conceived of Bat for Lashes while on a trip to San Francisco, drawing on inspirations like Steve Reich and Susan Hiller, as well as the multimedia installations she learned to create while studying art at the University of Brighton. She continued to work on her music as she studied childcare and taught at a nursery school, ultimately releasing Bat for Lashes debut single "The Wizard" early in 2006. Her acclaimed debut album, Fur and Gold, arrived that September and was shortlisted for the 2007 Mercury Prize; the following year, she earned nominations for British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards. While writing songs for her second album, Khan traveled to the Joshua Tree and lived in Brooklyn, finding inspiration in local bands like Gang Gang Dance and TV on the Radio. Two Suns, an ambitious concept album revolving around Khans hedonistic alter-ego Pearl, arrived in 2009 and featured collaborations with Yeasayer and Scott Walker. Like Fur and Gold, the album was nominated for the Mercury Prize; Khan received another British Female Solo Artist Brit Award nomination, and the albums lead single "Daniel" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song. Bat for Lashes third album, 2012s introspective, restrained The Haunted Man, became Khans second Top 10 album in the U.K., and earned her a Best British Female Brit Award nomination; the single "Laura" was nominated for Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the Ivor Novello Awards. Khan spent the next few years collaborating with other musicians, most notably producer Dan Carey and the band TOY on 2013s "The Bride," a cover of a pre-revolution Iranian folk song that Carey released via his Speedy Wunderground label. The project expanded into Sexwitch, whose self-titled 2015 album featured covers of psych-folk songs hailing from Morocco, Thailand, Iran, and the United States. Khan also worked with Carey on Bat for Lashes fourth album The Bride, a concept album about a woman whose fiancé has been killed in a crash on the way to their wedding. The albums lead single, "I Do," arrived in February 2016; Khan also directed a short film by the same name that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival that April, with The Bride itself arriving in July. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 9 Title: Fur and Gold Released: 2006-09-11 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Horse and I (03:04) 2 Trophy (04:00) 3 Tahiti (03:38) 4 What’s a Girl to Do? (02:58) 5 Sad Eyes (04:16) 6 The Wizard (04:16) 7 Prescilla (03:34) 8 Bat’s Mouth (04:25) 9 Seal Jubilee (04:44) 10 Sarah (03:56) 11 I Saw a Light (06:24) 12 I’m on Fire (03:31) |
| Fur and Gold : Allmusic album Review : With Fur & Gold, Bat for Lashes -- aka Natasha Khan -- brings a fairytale quality and air of mystery to her music, performing a delicate balancing act between everyday emotions and the power of fantasy. As the title suggests, theres something gorgeous but raw about her songs, which fly from spare British chamber folk to shades of lavish rock, pop, and dance as she throws herself into stories that update the traditions of other iconic female artists. Shes a warrior princess of the moors with only her steed to keep her company on "Horse and I," a song whose dramatic sweep would do Kate Bush proud; on the fable-like sensual duet "Trophy," Khan sings "creatures of mercy/shoot them down and set me free" with Björk-like urgency. Despite Fur & Golds unabashedly mystical vibe, Khan emphasizes the reality in her magical reality, whether she makes it sound like its perfectly natural to sing "drink his blood and hes our leader" on "The Wizard," or crafts strong heroines on songs such as "Prescilla"s urban folk or "Sarah"s surprising rock. The most remarkable thing -- out of a lot of remarkable things -- about Fur & Gold is the emotional power of Khans songs. "Whats a Girl to Do?" might be decorated with beautifully ghostly girl group beats and harmonies, but the pain of falling out of love is palpable. Best of all is "Sad Eyes," a love song so warm and fragile that the way it cuts to the quick when Khan sings "trying to keep it together/keep my love as light as a feather" is breathtaking. As far flung as these songs can be, they never sound scattered, and only rarely overdone: the thunderstorm-laden ballad "I Saw a Light" is the only moment that feels close to over the top. Fortunately, the final track, a soaring cover of Bruce Springsteens "Im on Fire" that shows off Khans vulnerable, old soul voice to its finest, more than compensates. This is a vivid, accomplished, transporting debut. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 9 Title: Live Session - EP Released: 2008-02-19 Tracks: 4 Duration: 14:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Horse and I (02:53) 2 Prescilla (03:39) 3 The Bats Mouth (04:23) 4 Lonely (03:32) |
 | Album: 3 of 9 Title: Two Suns Released: 2009-04-03 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Glass (04:32) 2 Sleep Alone (04:02) 3 Moon and Moon (03:08) 4 Daniel (04:11) 5 Peace of Mind (03:28) 6 Siren Song (04:58) 7 Pearl’s Dream (04:45) 8 Good Love (04:29) 9 Two Planets (04:47) 10 Travelling Woman (03:46) 11 The Big Sleep (02:55) |
| Two Suns : Allmusic album Review : Natasha Khans debut album as Bat for Lashes, Fur and Gold, was so vivid and fully realized that it was a tough act to follow: she found ways to make her wildest flights of fancy into music with the immediacy of pop and the intimacy of a singer/songwriters confessions. It takes a lot of ambition to pull off that kind of alchemy, and that ambition defines Two Suns. Khans sounds and visions are even more widescreen here, full of pristine electronics and heady concepts, and Scott Walker, the undisputed king of high-concept music, duets with her on the ultra-theatrical finale "The Big Sleep." Since Bat for Lashes songs practically burst with characters and ideas, a concept album seems like a logical next step for Khans music, but the magic her songs had previously feels dissipated this time around. Two Suns revolves around Khans "desert-born spiritual self" and her "destructive, self-absorbed, blonde femme fatale" alter ego Pearl as it covers "the philosophy of the self and duality, examining the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain, in addition to touching on metaphysical ideas concerning the connections between all existence." Thats a lot to pack into just 11 songs, and its not always entirely clear just what theyre about, despite motifs like "blue dreams" that run through them. Some songs are just plain overdone: "Traveling Woman" and "Peace of Mind," with its tribal rhythms and gospel choir, aim for majesty but end up dragging. Others use the albums posh polish to make an impact, like "Glass" -- on which Khan hits some amazing high notes -- and "Daniel," which nods to the poppier side of her music. The directness that made Fur and Golds modern-day fairy tales so enchanting and moving is often missing, and nothing on Two Suns is as musically or emotionally immediate as "Whats a Girl to Do?" or "Sad Eyes." However, the subtler spells Khan casts with hypnotic tracks like "Sleep Alone" and "Moon and Moon" eventually reveal their beauty. And as Two Suns unfolds, it gradually shifts from overt attempts to dazzle listeners to focusing on Bat for Lashes greatest strengths: Khans voice and her considerable skills at telling a story and setting a mood. Pearl may be the albums dark side, but shes responsible for some of its best songs. "Siren Song" sets her seductive false promises to dramatic pianos, while "Pearl"s Dream," with its battles and kingdoms, is classic Bat for Lashes. "Good Love" reaffirms Khans way with bruised ballads, and "Two Planets" pummeling beats and swirling voices make the mystical power the rest of the album reached for crystal-clear. Ultimately, Two Suns is nearly as graceful and poetic as Bat for Lashes best work; its just that the albums massive concepts and sounds require a little more time and patience to unravel to get to the songs hearts. Its clear that Khans talent and ambition are both huge, and for her to slightly overreach is better than not aiming as high as she can. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 9 Title: iTunes Live: London Festival ’09 Released: 2009-07-28 Tracks: 6 Duration: 26:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Glass (05:02) 2 Sleep Alone (04:03) 3 Siren Song (05:30) 4 What’s a Girl to Do? (02:57) 5 Trophy (04:34) 6 Daniel (04:02) |
 | Album: 5 of 9 Title: The Haunted Man Released: 2012-10-12 Tracks: 11 Duration: 51:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lilies (04:47) 2 All Your Gold (04:32) 3 Horses of the Sun (04:59) 4 Oh Yeah (04:56) 5 Laura (04:26) 6 Winter Fields (03:42) 7 The Haunted Man (05:15) 8 Marilyn (04:35) 9 A Wall (04:01) 10 Rest Your Head (04:04) 11 Deep Sea Diver (06:21) |
| The Haunted Man : Allmusic album Review : Natasha Khans two previous Bat for Lashes albums -- 2006s Fur and Gold and 2009s Two Suns -- were lavish affairs from their cover images to their intricate songs. However, The Haunted Mans album artwork, which depicts Khan as naked except for the also nude man slung over her shoulders, was one of the first hints that she was taking a slightly different tack with this set of songs. More proof came with "Laura," the soft, spare ballad she picked to be the albums lead single. While Khan explored her flair with character studies on Two Suns, this songs intimacy and the keenly observed details in lyrics like "your tears feel hot on my bedsheets" felt more like a natural progression from songs like "Sad Eyes," off of Fur and Gold. As that album (and Two Suns more restrained moments) showed, Khans singing and writing are more than strong enough to be more or less naked, and she finds freedom in this throughout most of The Haunted Man. Feeling alive is a refrain on many of these songs, most vividly on the proudly sexual "Oh Yeah," where Khan is "waiting like a flower to open wide" and the unearthliness of her upper register adds a fairytale sparkle to her desire. This mix of rawness and delicacy makes her among the best of all the Kate Bush disciples dotting the early 21st century pop landscape at emulating the will-o-the-wisp willfulness of La Bushs work, particularly on the silvery, shivery opening track "Lilies" and "Winter Fields," which soars above the English countryside with just a little bit of fear shading its wonder. When The Haunted Man strays from these sparer sounds, the results are mixed: the tribal/primal rhythms and vocals on "Horses of the Sun" add to its rough-hewn beauty, but the electronic squiggles and processed vocals on "Marilyn" are distracting and indulgent. Still, much of The Haunted Man caters to Khans strengths, and songs such as "All Your Gold," "A Wall," and "Rest Your Head" are among the catchiest shes written in some time. Focus and restraint might not sound exciting in and of themselves, but The Haunted Man is more direct than any of Bat for Lashes previous work, and manages to keep the air of mystique around Khan that has made her one to watch and listen to since her early days. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 9 Title: iTunes Festival: London 2012 Released: 2012-10-26 Tracks: 5 Duration: 21:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Travelling Woman (Live) (03:43) 2 Glass (Live) (04:10) 3 Laura (Live) (04:53) 4 Horse and I (Live) (03:17) 5 Pearls Dream (Live) (05:14) |
 | Album: 7 of 9 Title: The Bride Released: 2016-07-01 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Do (02:16) 2 Joe’s Dream (05:25) 3 In God’s House (03:31) 4 Honeymooning Alone (03:30) 5 Sunday Love (04:13) 6 Never Forgive the Angels (04:24) 7 Close Encounters (04:09) 8 Widow’s Peak (03:46) 9 Land’s End (03:09) 10 If I Knew (04:16) 11 I Will Love Again (05:13) 12 In Your Bed (03:31) |
| The Bride : Allmusic album Review : Exploring femininity in all its personas is a major part of Bat for Lashes music, and never more so than on The Bride. On Natasha Khans fourth album, the titular character undergoes a more dramatic transformation than most brides do at their weddings: After her fiance is killed in a car accident en route to the wedding, she flees the church and goes on her honeymoon alone. Its a more single-minded concept than some of Bat for Lashes other albums, and since Khans music is as theatrical as it is vulnerable, it should be a perfect fit. However, The Brides journey through romance, horror, grief, and healing is more subdued than might be expected. The album begins vividly: Bedecked in fluttering harps and some of Khans loveliest vocals yet, "I Do" has all the showy nuptial romance of a petal-strewn aisle. Its so incredibly sweet that it feels like its tempting fate, offering the perfect setup for the brewing terror on "In Gods House," as well as the slow-building drama of "Joes Dream" and the hallucinatory panic of "Honeymooning Alone," both of which give the death-obsessed pop of the 50s and 60s a highbrow update. Depending on listeners patience, however, The Brides slower second half may be hypnotic or dreary. To trace the arc from mourning to recovery, Khan relies on ballads that range from bitter ("Never Forgive the Angels") to empowering ("I Will Love Again," which sounds more like the kind of fare Adele or Christina Aguilera would sing). And though she gives the bride a surprisingly happy ending with "In Your Bed" -- which finds the character wanting to stay in her lovers arms rather than go out on the town -- it feels like her story is missing several chapters. Similarly, The Bride often feels like a missed opportunity to revisit the drama Bat for Lashes delivered so ably on Two Suns. Khan rectifies this somewhat on more mystical songs like the witchy invocation of "Widows Peak" and "Close Encounters," an eldritch lovers meeting that recalls Wuthering Heights (both the book and the Kate Bush song). Still, its hard not to want Bat for Lashes to go further down this path; while Khan used restraint eloquently on The Haunted Man, The Bride is beautifully crafted, but not always thrilling. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 9 Title: Requiem Released: 2018-02-09 Tracks: 16 Duration: 38:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Aigra (02:17) 2 Naaa (01:49) 3 Izraz (02:08) 4 Adopa (01:59) 5 Xpaxn (03:30) 6 Saaiz (01:36) 7 Rgoan (02:16) 8 Erubey (02:00) 9 Edlprnaa (01:56) 10 Lavavoth (01:29) 11 Xai (02:53) 12 Laoaxrp (03:14) 13 Iczhiha (01:04) 14 Lsraphm (03:24) 15 Nlirx (02:48) 16 Omsia (03:41) |
 | Album: 9 of 9 Title: Lost Girls Released: 2019-09-06 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Kids in the Dark (03:28) 2 The Hunger (04:59) 3 Feel for You (03:39) 4 Desert Man (03:26) 5 Jasmine (02:55) 6 Vampires (03:02) 7 So Good (03:33) 8 Safe Tonight (04:16) 9 Peach Sky (04:34) 10 Mountains (04:31) |