by Philip Moss

Much of Katie Harkin’s adult life has been spent on the road. Since the demise of her band, Sky Larkin, the songwriter has worked with the likes of Wild Beasts, Waxahatchee, Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett, and most recently Sleater Kinney. But after a decade of providing guitars for others, the West Yorkshire native has re-focused her energies on her own songwriting – the result is a debut solo album that could only ever have been self titled.

On hearing that only 2% of registered songwriters in the UK are women in the north of England, Harkin told Huck Magazine that it made her boil. It feels every bit of that venom is poured into opener, Mist on Glass’ call to arms guitar riff, which – underpinned by droning synths – recalls those that made U2’s Boy such an attention grabbing statement of post punk in 1980. And it’s this bruising mix of guitars and synthetic sounds that clash again on the record’s most immediate track – Nothing The Night Can Change – that suggests Harkin’s philosophy on life really isn’t to look back. While Dial It In sees a tone change that makes it no less addictive, with looping backing vocals and the album’s most interesting arrangement.

For too long, Katie Harkin has stood away from the spotlight. Harkin is a debut record that firmly proves she’s worthy of being centre stage.

Secret Meeting score: 75

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