Anna Coddington and her band wowed an adoring crowd at the YOT Club last Thursday performing songs from her beautifully crafted sophomore album Cat & Bird which was released only a week ago.
In the last year, Anna’s confidence has grown and her songwriting has become more sophisticated and stylistic. Known for her mesmerising stage presence, she switches between acoustic ballads and electric guitar driven indie songs with ease.
She was joined on stage by guitarist/boyfriend Ned Ngatae (DJ KillaManRaro), drummer Riki Gooch (Trinity Roots), bass player Mike Hall (Nightchoir) and keyboard/vocalist LA Mitchell (The Dukes). My favourite song of the night was Bolt which is a catchy pop song inspired by Usain Bolt (Jamaican sprinter). The set was finished off nicely with a couple of songs from her debut album The Lake.
Anna Coddington, along with her impressive band, create an uplifting, dynamic and diverse sound which will take them all over the country on a five date album release tour. Although Anna was about to embark on her second show in Auckland, she was accommodating enough to spare me a few moments of her time to answer some questions:
How does Cat & Bird differ from your debut album The Lake?
It is a lot broader, lyrically and musically. I have experimented with creating a positive, feel-good and celebratory album. The songwriting still draws on my own experiences, but also on observations. Bolt is how I imagine Usain’s girlfriend (if he has one) would feel after watching him become a world famous sprinting champion.
Where did you record your album?
We spent two days recording at Roundhead studios and then completed the rest at my home studio in Auckland which I
co-produced with Ned.
You have a great band behind you, how often do you practice?
I am really fortunate to have the best band in the world which means that we don’t have to practice too often, for this tour we only rehearsed twice.
Who are your musical influences?
Radiohead, Band of Horses, Bon Iver and good kiwi bands such as Lawrence Arabia and The Phoenix Foundation.
What do you enjoy doing when visiting your home town?
Going to the beach, swimming and eating Sushi.
When can we see you in Raglan next?
I am going to be pretty tired after the nationwide tour so who knows!
Where can we buy your album?
Cat & Bird is available from all good record stores and can be purchased online at iTunes.com.
For further info visit
Lucy Cioffi, Music Reporter
