Tindersticks - Kathleen

tsmith27

Review by Tony Smith

Tindersticks’ Kathleen: A Smoky, Sultry Journey Through 1994’s Underbelly Alright, buckle up, folks. We’re diving into Tindersticks’ debut album Kathleen, a record that feels like it was birthed in some dimly lit, whiskey-soaked corner of the UK. Released in 1994 via This Way Up (a label as delightfully obscure as the band itself), this thing is an absolute treasure chest for anyone who digs their rock with a side of art-house flair and folkish melancholy. First off, let’s talk genres—or rather, genre soup. You’ve got Alternative, Pop/Rock, straight-up Rock, Folk vibes, World influences, and even a dash of Country thrown in there for good measure. And don’t get me started on the styles: Art Rock, Indie Rock, Chamber Pop—it’s like they couldn’t decide what box to tick, so they just ticked all of ‘em. Spoiler alert: It works. Wildly. Now, onto the tracks. The opener, “Kathleen,” sets the tone right away—a slow-burning, cinematic masterpiece dripping with strings and Stuart Staples’ croaky yet strangely magnetic vocals. It’s one of those songs where you can practically picture someone lighting a cigarette in slo-mo while staring out a rain-streaked window. Honestly, if Quentin Tarantino ever remakes Reservoir Dogs set in Victorian England, this should be playing during the opening credits. That eerie violin? Chef’s kiss. Then there’s “E-Type Joe” (yes, it appears twice—no complaints here). This track is pure swagger wrapped in velvet. With its jazzy undertones and lyrics about a dude who sounds cooler than James Bond at a thrift store, it’s impossible not to nod along. There’s something cheeky and mischievous about how Tindersticks pull it off, like they’re winking at you from across the room. Plus, the saxophone solo? Absolute fire emoji material. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the production quality too. For a bunch of blokes recording in Europe back in the '90s, everything feels lush and intimate without being overproduced. It’s like listening to your favorite indie film soundtrack before indie films were cool. But here’s the kicker—the weird, reflective bit I promised. Listening to Kathleen now, decades after its release, feels oddly comforting. Like revisiting an old friend who still dresses like it’s 1994 but somehow pulls it off better than anyone else. Maybe it’s because we live in an age where music often chases trends instead of carving its own path. Or maybe it’s just that Tindersticks knew exactly what they were doing when they made this gloriously messy, genre-defying gem. So yeah, give Kathleen a spin if you haven’t already. Just make sure you’ve got a glass of red wine handy—and maybe a trench coat. Because once those violins kick in, you’ll need both.

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: tindersticks-kathleen.zip
  • MP3 size: 34 mb
  • FLAC size: 212 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Summat Moon3:30
E-Type Joe1:49
Kathleen5:44
E Type Joe1:49
A Sweet Sweet Man5:57

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Catalog Numbers

  • WAY 2888
  • WAY 2833
  • WAY 2811

Labels

This Way Up

Listen online

  • escuchar en línea
  • écouter en ligne
  • online luisteren
  • ouvir online
  • lyssna på nätet
  • lytte på nettet
  • ascolta in linea
  • online anhören
  • kuunnella verkossa

Formats

  • Vinyl
  • 10"
  • 45 RPM
  • EP
  • CD
  • 7"
  • 33 ⅓ RPM
  • Limited Edition
  • Numbered

Companies

RoleCompany
Distributed BySRD
Phonographic Copyright (p)Quicksilver Recording Company Ltd.
Copyright (c)Quicksilver Recording Company Ltd.
Pressed ByOrlake Records
Published ByRough Trade Publishing
Made ByPDO, UK

Notes

  • P + C 1994 Quicksilver recording Co.
  • No durations on release.
  • P+C 1994 Quicksilver Recording Co.
  • Distributed by S.R.D.
  • Track 1: Bug Music
  • Tracks 2 to 4: Rough Trade Publishing
  • Issued in a card sleeve.
  • Machine numbered edition of 5000 copies. No durations on release.
  • P + C 1994 Quicksilver Recording Co.
  • Barcode + Distributor on sticker attached to protective poly sleeve. Issued in stamped, die cut light brown card sleeve inside outer fold over sleeve. Track A1 published by Bug Music, Tracks A2 + B1 and B2 published by Rough Trade Publishing.

Barcodes

  • Barcode: 042285826500
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched): WAY+2888+A ORLAKE
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched): WAY+2888+B ORLAKE
  • Rights Society: BIEM
  • Rights Society: Stemra
  • Label Code: LC 5758
  • Barcode: 042285826524
  • Barcode (Text): 0 42285 82652 4
  • Matrix / Runout: WAY2833 10273371 01 & MADE IN U.K. BY PDO
  • Price Code: PG 940
  • Rights Society: biem/stemra
  • Other (Sticker on back): 8582652
  • Barcode (Stickered): 042285826470
  • Matrix / Runout (A Side, Stamped): DFI 93 12 WAY 2811. A1
  • Matrix / Runout (B Side, Stamped): DFI 93 12 WAY 2811 B1
  • Rights Society: BIEM/STEMRA

About Tindersticks

English band formed in 1991 out of (formed in 1988) by (vocals), (organ & accordion), (guitar), (guitar & strings) (percussion & drums) and John Thompson (bass), who was replaced by before their first recordings. They recorded six studio albums, two additional soundtrack albums, and many singles in the first stage of their career. After a hiatus between 2004 and 2008, the band's line-up was reduced down to Staples, Boulter and Fraser, with a rhythm section of (drums) and (bass) (and intermittent appearances by and ). Their second act now eclipses their first line-up in terms of volume of output (if not commercial success). Tindersticks were one of the most original and distinctive British acts of the '90s, standing apart from both the British indie scene and the rash of Brit-pop guitar combos that dominated the U.K. charts. Where their contemporaries were often direct and to the point, Tindersticks were obtuse and leisurely, crafting dense, difficult songs layered with literary lyrics, intertwining melodies, mumbling vocals, and gently melancholy orchestrations. At the start of their career, the group filtered the dark romanticism of Leonard Cohen, Ian Curtis, and Scott Walker through the bizarre pop songcraft of Lee Hazlewood and the aesthetics of indie rock. Later recordings have been marked by the influence of soul music, and their excursions into instrumental soundtrack work (primarily working for director Claire Denis). Though their music was far from casual listening, Tindersticks gained a dedicated cult following in the mid-'90s, beginning with their eponymous 1993 debut album, and continue to release music to a dedicated fanbase.

Name Vars

  • The Tindersticks
  • Tinderstick

Members

  • David Kitt
  • Thomas Belhom
  • Stuart A. Staples
  • Earl Harvin
  • David Boulter
  • Dickon Hinchliffe
  • Neil Fraser
  • Mark Colwill
  • Al Macaulay
  • Dan McKinna

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: The album *Kathleen* by Tindersticks is like a musical chameleon. Released in 1994, it blends so many styles—Art Rock, Indie Rock, Chamber Pop—it’s hard to pin down. One track, "E-Type Joe," even appears twice on the album. Yeah, they named it differently the second time, but it’s basically the same song. Kind of like a hidden Easter egg for listeners. It’s a moody, cinematic record that feels like wandering through rainy European streets. Definitely one of those albums that sticks with you.