Cait Brennan: Difference between revisions

*[[Psychedelicpsychedelic soul]]

'''Wendilyn Marielle Caitlin Brennan''' (born February 14, 1969), better known by her stage name '''Cait Brennan''', is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and screenwriter. Brennan's musical style contains elements of [[glam rock]], [[psychedelic soul]], [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[Indie pop]], and [[power pop]],<ref name=dailycountry>{{cite web |url=http://thedailycountry.com/3/post/2017/02/cait-brennans-third-charts-its-own-groundbreaking-path-on-april-21st.html|title=Daily Country – Cait Brennan's Groundbreaking ''Third''|accessdate=February 25, 2017}}</ref> combinedalso with dense vocal harmonies and revealing literate lyrics that occasionally drawdrawing on [[vaudeville]], [[music hall]], mythical, and biblical themes.<ref name="Last.fm Artist Bios – Cait Brennan">{{cite web |url=http://www.last.fm/music/Cait+Brennan |title=Last.fm Artist Bios – Cait Brennan |accessdate=April 5, 2012}}</ref> In 2016, Brennan released her first full-length studio album, ''[[Debutante (Cait Brennan album)|Debutante]],'', towhich significant acclaim, landingappeared on numerousthe best-of-2016 lists including the ''[[Village Voice]]'' [[Pazz & Jop]] list.<ref name=pazzjop>{{cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/music/pazz-and-jop-the-village-voice-music-critics-poll-the-top-albums-of-2016-9600305|title=''Village Voice'' Pazz & Jop Best Albums Of 2016 |work=The Village Voice|date=January 25, 2017 |accessdate=February 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name=amazon>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Debutante-Cait-Brennan/dp/B015Q99QTA/|title=Amazon.com – Preorder Cait Brennan's Debutante|website=Amazon |accessdate=October 10, 2015}}</ref><ref name=pauseandplay>{{cite web|url=http://www.pauseandplay.com/new-releases-jan-22-2016/|title=Pause And Play – New Releases – January 22, 2016 – Cait Brennan|publisher=Pause And Play|accessdate=October 10, 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016101437/http://www.pauseandplay.com/new-releases-jan-22-2016/|archivedate=October 16, 2015}}</ref><ref name=azcentral>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/08/28/phoenix-tempe-local-music-cait-brennan/71327502/|title=Arizona Republic – Cait Brennan Releases First Album|accessdate=August 28, 2015}}</ref> Her second studio album, ''[[Third (Cait Brennan album)|Third]]'', was recorded at [[Ardent Studios]] in Memphis and was released via [[Omnivore Recordings]] on April 21, 2017.<ref name=conqueroo>{{cite web|url=https://t.e2ma.net/webview/i6gtj/2b37d91b769741ca192a0e4f0db58d08/|title=Conqueroo – Cait Brennan's ''Third'' Charts Its Own Groundbreaking Path|publisher=Conqueroo|accessdate=February 24, 2017}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=ardent>{{cite web|url=https://www.ardentstudios.com/news/2017/2/24/new-release-cait-brennan-on-omnivore|title=New Release – Cait Brennan on Omnivore |date=February 24, 2017 |publisher=Ardent Studios|accessdate=February 25, 2017}}</ref>

Brennan was born in [[Phoenix, Arizona]], and raised by her great-grandmother, a [[Thoroughbred horse racing]] seamstress. She began writing songs as a child; lacking in musical training, she sang songs into a simple cassette recorder, and eventually began her performance career while beginning a gender transition in her teens. After multiple incidents of violence, she stopped performing publicly for nearly two decades.<ref name=documentary>{{cite web|last=Parks|first=Wendy (director)|title=Harmony Lies Inside Your Eyes – A Film About Cait Brennan|website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6aC7roCOJA|accessdate=June 18, 2016|date=December 31, 2015}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YoutubeYouTube linkslink|date=February 2022}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=August 2024|reason=dead youtube link}} In 2009, reflecting on her 90s work from the 1990s, [[Curve (magazine)|''Curve'']] declared that Brennan "almost became the first great transgender rock star".<ref name="curvemag.com">{{cite web|last=Anderson-Minshall|first=Jacob |title=Curve – 10 Reasons We Love Cait Brennan |url=http://www.curvemag.com/Curve-Magazine/April-2009/Ten-Reasons-We-Love-MC-Brennan/|accessdate=February 25, 2017|date=April 2009|archive-date=August 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809172854/http://www.curvemag.com/Curve-Magazine/April-2009/Ten-Reasons-We-Love-MC-Brennan/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Brennan was interviewed by [[Against Me!]] frontwoman [[Laura Jane Grace]] in episode 3 of Grace's [[AOL]] Originals series "True Trans".<ref name=stereogum>{{cite web|last=Rettig|first=James|title=Watch the first four episodes of AOL's True Trans with Laura Jane Grace; Stereogum|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1711006/watch-the-first-four-episodes-of-aols-true-trans-with-laura-jane-grace/video/|work=[[Stereogum]]|accessdate=August 10, 2015|date=August 10, 2015}}</ref><ref name="unicornbooty">{{cite web|last=Benedict|first=RS|url=https://unicornbooty.com/cait-brennan-interview/|title=Unicorn Booty – Meet Cait Brennan, Princess Of Power Pop|accessdate=October 11, 2015|date=August 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825144517/https://unicornbooty.com/cait-brennan-interview/|archive-date=August 25, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before returning to music, she pursued careers in journalism, screenwriting and acting.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==Return to performancePerformance and ''Debutante'' (2012–2016)==

Encouraged by friends who had heard her songs, Brennan returned to live performance in 2012, and quickly received praise for her work; [[Village Voice Media]]'s Serene Dominic praised her as a "smart, melodic singer-songwriter",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2012/03/the_serene_dominic_show_david.php |title=Phoenix New Times – The Serene Dominic Show: David Bash of International Pop Overthrow |date=March 2012 |accessdate=March 16, 2012 |archive-date=March 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306035811/http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2012/03/the_serene_dominic_show_david.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> and an early live performance and interview with Brennan was featured on the [[KAET]]/[[Tempe Center for the Arts]] [[public television]] concert series "Songwriters Showcase", which premiered on [[PBS]] stations in fall 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tempe.gov/tca/spotlight.htm |title=Tempe Center for the Arts |accessdate=March 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417191756/http://www.tempe.gov/tca/spotlight.htm |archive-date=April 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hccevuXHmA |title=KPNX-TV – "In The Spotlight" preview |website=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 8, 2012}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YoutubeYouTube linkslink|date=February 2022}}</ref> The [[Arizona Republic]] praised the "cinematic sweep" of her songs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/20130701phoenix-local-music-picks-july.html|title=AZcentral.com – 15 Artists To See |accessdate=July 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/20130312international-pop-overthrow-phoenix-sail-inn.html?nclick_check=1|title=Arizona Republic – International Pop Overthrow 2013 |accessdate=July 15, 2013}}</ref> Java Magazine's Mitchell Hillman echoed that praise, calling Brennan "a great musician and a formidable writer",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://soundsaroundtown.net/2013/03/13/the-international-pop-overthrow-phoenix/|title=Sounds Around Town – International Pop Overthrow 2013 |accessdate=July 15, 2013|archive-date=August 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809171226/http://soundsaroundtown.net/2013/03/13/the-international-pop-overthrow-phoenix/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and author [[Neil Gaiman]] praised her cover version of [[David Bowie]]'s [[Five Years (David Bowie song)|Five Years]] as "glorious".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/neilhimself/status/187755449054003201 |title=Twitter – Neil Gaiman |accessdate=April 5, 2012}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=January 2020}} While her lead vocals generally hover in the mid-tenor, Brennan has a five-octave range and sings all the background harmonies on her albums.<ref name=conqueroo /> Matt Keeley of Unicorn Booty dubbed her "Lady Nilsson" for her frequent homages to the late singer-songwriter,<ref name="unicornbooty" /> while [[International Pop Overthrow]] founder David Bash praised her as "a singer songwriter with a unique brand of glitter glam soulful rock n' roll sung straight from the heart. Plus, you gotta love anyone who can channel [[Roy Orbison]], [[Elton John]], [[Freddie Mercury]], [[John Lennon]], and [[Etta James]] in the space of a single set."<ref name=gerstenzang>{{cite web | url=http://americansongwriter.com/2016/01/cait-brennans-mythical-radio/|title=American Songwriter – Cait Brennan's Mythical Radio |accessdate=January 25, 2016|date=January 25, 2016}}</ref>{{Irrelevant citation|reason=Source cited doesn't appear to contain this quote|date=January 2023}}

Her debut album, ''[[Debutante (Cait Brennan album)|Debutante]]'', was co-produced by Brennan and [[Fernando Perdomo]], a producer and rock artist who also co-produced [[Linda Perhacs]]' widely acclaimed 2014 album [[The Soul of All Natural Things]] for [[Sufjan Stevens]]' [[Asthmatic Kitty]] records, and has performed with [[Fiona Apple]], [[Beck]], [[Todd Rundgren]] and [[Jakob Dylan]].<ref name=pitchfork>{{cite web|last=Greene|first=Jayson|title=Linda Perhacs: The Soul of All Natural Things &#124; Pitchfork|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19066-linda-perhacs-the-soul-of-all-natural-things/|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|accessdate=March 7, 2014|date=March 7, 2014}}</ref> Perdomo and Brennan met as fellow artists on the [[International Pop Overthrow]] festival in 2012, and quickly became friends; Brennan appears in Perdomo's "Smile" music video.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQPoEA7fA48 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/fQPoEA7fA48 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=YouTube – "Smile" video credits |website=[[YouTube]] |date=August 22, 2012 |accessdate=November 12, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The album was recorded in five days.<ref name=toddalcott>{{cite web|last=Alcott|first=Todd|title=Cait Brennan – Debutante; Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/toddalcott/posts/10204874266593576?pnref=story |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/1146954628/10204874266593576 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|work=[[Todd Alcott]]|accessdate=August 3, 2015|date=August 3, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=January 2020}} Brennan funded the initial production of the album through [[Kickstarter]] and exceeded her funding goal in just 69 hours.<ref name="kickstarter">{{cite web | url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/caitbrennan/25-years-in-five-days-the-debut-album-by-cait-bren/updates|title=Cait Brennan – Debutante |accessdate=August 9, 2015|date=August 9, 2015}}</ref> During the campaign, Brennan received social media support from Laura Jane Grace, Neil Gaiman, [[James Urbaniak]] and [[John Darnielle]] of [[The Mountain Goats]].<ref name="johndarnielle">{{cite web | url=http://johndarnielle.tumblr.com/post/125940792216/via-25-years-in-five-days-the-debut-album-by|title=Tumblr – John Darnielle – Cait Brennan's Debutante |accessdate=August 9, 2015|date=August 9, 2015}}</ref> The first track released from ''Debutante'' was "Dear Arthur", which was featured as a [[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] exclusive premiere in mid-January 2016.<ref name=paste>{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/01/03-dear-arthurmp3.html|title=Paste – Cait Brennan "Dear Arthur" Exclusive Premiere |accessdate=January 22, 2016|date=January 14, 2016|archive-date=January 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119021606/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/01/03-dear-arthurmp3.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Presenter Ros Barclay of [[CamGlen Radio]] in Glasgow was the first terrestrial radio broadcaster to play the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://planetcait.com/media-information/|title=Planet Cait – "Dear Arthur" airplay|accessdate=January 22, 2016|date=January 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127212040/http://planetcait.com/media-information/|archive-date=January 27, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After ''Debutante'', Brennan initially announced that the followup would be called ''Jinx'', a tongue-in-cheek reference to the [[Sophomore slump]]. Initial recording for the second album took place in December 2015.<ref name=azcentral /> But in March 2016, while on the ''Debutante'' tour, Brennan developed a serious infection from a [[cat bite]], and subsequent complications led to a life-threatening illness. The remainder of the tour was canceled, and during her hospital stay and subsequent recovery, Brennan drastically revised the finished ''Jinx'' masters and wrote a number of new songs. The resulting album, ''Introducing The Breakdown According To Cait Brennan'', was originally slated for release on Brennan's own Black Market Glamour label, but Brennan ultimately shelved the album for a later date, opting to record an entirely new third album instead, citing both the upheaval in her own life and the uncertainty and change following the 2016 Presidential Election.<ref name =pauseandplay2>{{cite web|title=Pause And Play – Updates / Additions: Jack Ingram, Cait Brennan, etc. | url=http://www.pauseandplay.com/updates-additions-jack-ingram-cait-brennan-etc/|accessdate=June 17, 2016|date=May 7, 2016}}</ref><ref name="phoenixnewtimes1"/>

[[Category:BisexualAmerican bisexual musicians]]

[[Category:MusiciansSingers from Memphis, Tennessee]]

[[Category:20th-century American LGBT people]]

[[Category:21st-century American LGBT people]]