Katherine Priddy & Simon Armitage – Close Season

A remarkable literary-musical partnership unfolds with “Close Season”, uniting folk artist Katherine Priddy and Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. The track, released via Cooking Vinyl, emerged from an unexpected connection when Armitage mentioned Priddy during his appearance on Guy Garvey’s BBC 6 Music show, challenging artists to set his poetry to music.

Priddy, known for her emotionally nuanced songwriting influenced by Nick Drake and John Martyn, responded within 24 hours. This spontaneous exchange led to a deeper collaboration, with Armitage penning two winter-themed poems specifically for musical adaptation. Producer Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey, Anna Calvi) helped shape the recordings, bringing additional depth to Priddy’s interpretation.

“Close Season” personifies winter as an indifferent lover, departing from traditional festive themes to explore darker emotional territory. The track precedes “Daybreaker”, its companion piece set for release in early 2025. Priddy’s musical setting balances delicate intimacy with simmering tension, while Armitage’s words paint winter as a complex figure leaving “snowflake fingerprints” in their wake.