Motto by Sky Larkin - Uhune

ALBUM

The scruffy Leeds-based unit Sky Larkin have always leaned on the sounds of disenfranchised '90s indie guitar heroes like Sleater-Kinney and Sonic Youth to churn out their pensive but passionate songs. With third album Motto, they turn in their brightest production that only just barely obscures some of their darkest lyrical moments. Singer/guitarist Katie Harkin wrote a lot of the lyrics while moonlighting with friends Wild Beasts on a massive international tour, and when it was time to return to the writing process for Sky Larkin, she tapped into a specific breed of alienation and despair that mirrored both the intensity and monotony of the tour. It's not always on the surface, but a close listen to opening track "Motto" reveals a downtrodden feeling beneath its cacophonous walls of guitar. The ceaselessly peppy "Loom" comes on like an especially happy lost Throwing Muses track, but the lyrics speak of a "personal ghoul" who's "always in the room." It's a romantic musical backdrop for a song addressing a feeling of grating harassment, and the juxtaposition isn't immediately noticeable. Despite their somewhat dour lyrical disposition, the songs on Motto are high-energy blasts of sophisticated songwriting. The varied and constant key changes of "Carve It Out" keep things interesting and in motion, and the fluttering tremolo-bar guitars of "Bravo Dodo" recall the more inventive clean tones of early Dinosaur Jr. or pre-Loveless My Bloody Valentine. While still plenty noisy and messy-headed, Sky Larkin sound their most organized on Motto, and the deeper focus they apply to their energetic sounds is what makes the end results work better than any of their previous albums.
© Fred Thomas /TiVo

1. Motto

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

2. Newsworthy

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

3. The Loyal Beat

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

4. Treasury

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

5. Loom

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

6. Carve It Out

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

7. Tarn

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

8. Frozen Summer

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

9. Bravo Dodo

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

10. Overgrown

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin
Katie Harkin
Dreamtrak; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

11. Italics

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

12. Que Linda (Wake to Applause)

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

13. To the Glow

Primary Artist: Sky Larkin; Main Performer
Composer: Sky Larkin; Composer
Lyricist: Katie Harkin; Composer
Mixing Engineer: John Goodmanson; Production
Producer: John Goodmanson; Production
Music Publisher: Domino Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Wichita Songs Ltd; Other

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

13 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

51 minutes and 58 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1412x1412 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

Only 1/13 tracks has lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

No synced lyrics found

Genres

Pop/Rock, Alternative & Indie, Alternative, Indie Rock, Adult Alternative

Label

Wichita Recordings

Music Distribution Service

Vital PIAS SPRL

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Sep 15, 2013

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

5055036253802