Fur and Gold is the debut album by Bat For Lashes, released on 11 September 2006 through Echo. It was re-released with a bonus track in 2007 by Parlophone.
Background[]
The album revolves around the dream world, anthropomorphized animals, wizards, lost love and souls.[1]
Recorded in one month in London and Brighton,[2] Natasha co-produced the album with David Kosten (Faultline). Recurrent themes of natural forces and animal kingdoms, rugged English cliff tops and engulfing oceans – highlighted on the lament 'Seal Jubilee', are juxtaposed by the energy of rough urban living, teenage bedrooms and the freedom of California highways. Josh T Pearson (Lift To Experience) guests, adding guitar and vocals on three tracks – the brooding live favorite 'Trophy', 'Seal Jubilee' and the finale 'I Saw A Light', adding the kind of hymns and chaos that only the son of a preacher could provide.
"Especially for the first album, it's something that has been living with you for awhile, and it has developed all of your life to that point. When I went in to the do the album, I had pages of notes," she admits. "Each song had quotes from different films that made me think of it and different sounds and visual images and bits of poetry and drawings. I'll build up from the roots this certain part of the universe, and each song forms a part, and it has all of its own characters and colors. I think when I went in, the producer I worked with [David Kosten] was pleasantly shocked that I was so prepared. He said that he'd never seen that before," she laughs. "But it was also important that there was an element of spontaneity and experimentation, as well, because otherwise you'd miss out on all of the intuitive things that you try."[1]
Khan told in a 2012 interview:
"In the first album it was very much my vivid imaginary world, which was very internal, very much based on dreams and subconscious things and imagery."[2]
Natasha was approached by a LA film company to do a musical about the album, but it was shelved because film productions cost a lot of money and she didn't have the funding as the album wasn't number 1 in the US charts.[3]
Singles[]
The album's first single, "The Wizard", was released on 8 May 2006 on seven-inch vinyl through Khan's own imprint, She Bear Records, and Echo.[4] The second single, "Trophy", was released on 30 October 2006, containing the B-side "Howl."[5] The third single, "Prescilla", was released digitally on 3 March 2007. For the release, the song was reworked with a horn section.[6] The fourth and final single, "What's a Girl to Do?", was released on 9 July 2007.[7]
Track listing[]
All songs are written and composed by Natasha Khan.
| No. | Title | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Horse and I" | 3:04 | |
| 2. | "Trophy" | 4:00 | |
| 3. | "Tahiti" | 3:38 | |
| 4. | "What's a Girl to Do?" | 2:58 | |
| 5. | "Sad Eyes" | 4:16 | |
| 6. | "The Wizard" | 4:17 | |
| 7. | "Prescilla" | 3:34 | |
| 8. | "Bat's Mouth" | 4:25 | |
| 9. | "Seal Jubilee" | 4:44 | |
| 10. | "Sarah" | 3:48 | |
| 11. | "I Saw a Light" | 6:24 | |
Total length: |
46:47 | ||
US edition and iTunes Store bonus track
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "I'm On Fire" | Bruce Springsteen | David Dickey | 3:31 | |
Total length: |
48:33 | ||||
Artwork[]
Credits[]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Fur and Gold.
- Natasha Khan – vocals, string arrangements (all tracks); keyboards (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10); piano (tracks 3, 5–9, 11); percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10); drums (tracks 2, 4, 6); Hammond organ (track 5); autoharp (track 7); guitar, vibraphone (track 9); sounds (track 11); harmonium (track 6)
- Abi Fry – viola (tracks 1, 3, 8–11); string arrangements (all tracks)
- Caroline Weeks – autoharp (track 3); backing vocals (tracks 3, 6, 8); guitar (tracks 6–8)
- Mary Funnell – violin (track 8); string arrangements (all tracks)
- Anna McInerney – violin (track 8); string arrangements (all tracks)
- Tim Byford – drums (tracks 1, 4, 10, 11)
- Josh T. Pearson – guitar (tracks 2, 11); backing vocals (tracks 2, 9); intro vocals (track 11)
- Ben Christophers – bass, guitar (tracks 4, 6, 10)
- Sophie Sirota – violin (tracks 1, 2, 8)
- Howard Gott – violin (tracks 1, 2, 8)
- Emma Ramsdale – harp (tracks 1, 4)
- Tim Hutton – trumpet, trombone (track 10)
- Rachael T. Sell – backing vocals (track 10)
- Will Lemon – spoken word intro (track 11)
- Mikee Goodman – vocal sea sounds (track 9)
- David Kosten – keyboards (track 9); special foot taps (track 8); additional keyboards, programming (all tracks)
Technical
- David Kosten – production, recording, mixing
- Natasha Khan – production
- Tim Young – mastering
Artwork
- Bohdan Cap – cover photo
- Peter Moyse – band photo
- Natasha Khan – album artwork
- Red Design – design, layout
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Throwback Thursday: Bat For Lashes Interview from 2007". Under the Radar.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "“I was struggling, if I’m honest”: a classic interview with Bat for Lashes, plus FACT TV episode and more". 24 July 2012. FACT.
- ↑ "Bat for Lashes Q&A session - New York". 2013.
- ↑ Batforlashes.co.uk in May 2006
- ↑ "October 26th: The new single 'Trophy' will be released on the 30th of October". Batforlashes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 December 2006.
- ↑ "January 28th: The new single 'Prescilla' is being released on the 5th of March". Batforlashes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 February 2007;
- ↑ "The new Bat For Lashes single 'What's A Girl To Do' is released on the 9th of July". 6 July 2007. Batforlashes.co.uk.