When I ask Katell Keineg, she of the powerful swooping voice and unforgettable melodies, where she's been for the last few years, she just laughs and says "in Dun Laoghaire!" It evidently doesn't feel as long to her as it does to many of her fans but it has been four years since the release of her second album, 'Jet', and more than a few since she last played a headline gig in Ireland. It looks like she's ready to plunge headfirst back into the fray with a gig in Whelans in Dublin on February 12 and a new, as yet untitled album, to be released later this year.
Keineg's first release was the seven-inch single 'Hestia' on SOL (Singles Only Label) co-owned by Bob Mould, formerly of Hüsker Dü. Subsequently signed by Electra, she released her debut album, 'Ô Seasons Ô Castles', in 1994. An ambitious offering, it was clear that this was one artist who would not be pigeonholed. Critically acclaimed, it was followed by 'Jet' in 1997 and at that stage Keineg seemed to have built up a certain degree of impetus but she admits, "I'm terrible with momentum. I've a tendency to retreat and sabotage any momentum, that's my inclination". Supporting David Gray on his pre-Christmas Irish tour brought her to the attention of a new audience, although the tour wasn't all a pleasant experience as one night she ended up playing on stage in the Point Depot - before the doors opened!
Although Keineg readily admits that she's "not a prolific songwriter - I wouldn't have had the songs to bring out an album a year", she does admit that the gap since 'Jet' was longer than she would have liked. This was due to a combination of factors, which included changing managers and having problems with her record label, Electra. Describing the situation as "banal", she says "it basically became a completely different label from the one I signed to". Fortunately she was in a position where she was able to leave Electra with the rights to her first two albums. Keineg now plans to re-release them in the future "and hopefully they'll have the life that they didn't have in the interim". Free from label ties and sounding happy, the future is looking bright for Katell Keineg.
Caroline Hennessy
Katell Keineg plays Whelans in Dublin on Monday 12 February.
