This Is The Kit, the nom de plume of Kate Stables, has been in existence since the 00s, when Kate moved to Bristol and started playing and collaborating with local musicians.
Now, based in Paris, Kate Stables’ group This Is The Kit have five albums under her/their belt. This Is The Kit’s first album, Krülle Bol (2008), was produced in Bristol by John Parish. The band’s second album, Wriggle Out the Restless, was released in 2010 with the help of Rozi Plain, Jim Barr and Francois & the Atlas Mountains. In 2015 their third studio LP Bashed Out was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National on his Brassland label. In 2017 the band’s fourth LP Moonshine Freeze was released on Rough Trade. In 2018, Stables was invited to join The National on the road for multiple tours and TV appearances – a continuation of her contributions on their album I Am Easy To Find. Their second album for Rough Trade Records, Off Off On, (2020) was recorded just before the pandemic forced the world to pause, with producer Josh Kaufman, a New York-based musician, Hold Steady collaborator and member of Bonny Light Horseman and Muzz. Careful Of Your Keeper, the sixth album by This Is The Kit, produced by Gruff Rhys, will be out tomorrow, June 9th, again on Rough Trade.

What Kate says: “This song is called Stuck In A Room and it’s not so much about being stuck in a literal room (although i suppose it is a bit) but more about getting stuck in the imaginary restrictive rooms we create for ourselves. The behavioural patterns that aren’t always very helpful to us. The loops we go round and round in. The way we deal with what other people expect of us. That sort of thing.”

“This song is called More Change and comes with a video made by special effects guru and all round film making wizard Ben Jones. Ben has one of the best minds and senses of humour and two of the best eyes in the business. Everything he does is pure gold and so I was very excited indeed, and still am, that he was up for making this music video to “More Change“

Kate’s Mixtape: “Hello there my name is Kate and I have a band called This Is The Kit. I live in Paris and one of my favourite things is to make mix tapes for people so it’s really nice to be asked to make this playlist. I’ve ended up choosing songs that have a lot of emotional meaning for me. Songs that remind me of certain times and relationships past and present. The passing of time. friendships and connection and matters of the heart.

Gruff Rhys- If We Were Words We Would Rhyme

What a song. So honest and touching and quite heart-aching, but with a kind of sad acceptance of the situation. Acknowledging how important a person is for you and the beauty and significance in the connection you feel. But maybe the reality that you can’t really be together. That’s what I get from this song anyway.

Hawksley Workman – No Beginning And No End

I listened to a lot of Hawksley Workman in my late teens/early twenties. His voice just struck me to my core. This song has always had a really strong effect on me. The line “don’t dive shallow in deep dark waters” is such a powerful sentiment.
I’m most happy when I’m in or near water, and I love the image of a huge dark body of water to dive into. Like Wastwater in the lake district in the UK. I’d love to learn how to play this song on the guitar one day.

Naima Bock – Lines

I’m a big fan of Naima Bock’s and this is my favourite of her songs. She has such a timeless sound and wisdom in her words. Her voice is so true and moving. I find this song both heartbreaking and uplifting and hopeful at the same time.

Ani Difranco – You Had Time

This song is a real heart breaker. When someone needs to to make a decision that’s maybe impossible to make without it resulting in some kind of suffering.
i listened to A LOT of Ani Difranco when I was a teenager, and it taught me a lot about breaking the rules. Or rather that there were no rules. She’s so honest and unafraid of speaking her truth. And really ahead of her time in terms of subject matter and feminism and sexuality and gender and politics. I think I basically learned guitar by listening to her music and seeking out tablature on the early internet to learn how to play them. But as a result of which I never really learned any proper chords or their names!

 

The Magic Lantern – Holding Hands

I can’t get enough of this track. It starts off kind of gently and reminds me a bit of anchor song by Bjork. But when it gets to the chorus and the band and horn line kicks in it just blows my mind and I never want it to stop. It’s one of those chord sequences that you just want them to play one more time, and then one more time again, and again for ever.
Jamie Doe of The Magic Lantern is really dear to me. It feels like we’ve been doing gigs and music for kind of the same amount of time and our paths have often crossed over the years and we’ve done a fair few gigs together. He’s just a pleasure to behold. Such a wonderful voice and twinkle in his eye.

The National – This Is The Last Time

The first line of this song makes me feel so happy. When Matt sings “I wish everybody knew what’s so great about you” It feels so familiar and moving. It exactly describes so well that feeling of wishing everyone knew how great someone is. 
But also that no one’s perfect and there are complications to everyone. Also when I hear this song it has a real physical time lachine effect on me and takes me all of a sudden back to times when I’ve toured with the national and the amazing feeling of hearing this song played live.

Big Thief – Simulation Swarm

This song was introduced to me by a musician friend of mine I was working with called Dominie Hooper. I was immediately struck by the bass part and positive groove of the song as a whole. It really draws you in and grabs you round the heart. To me, the words feel like they’re speaking about a relationship with someone that goes back a long time and the shifting of lives that happens within that relationship. The pain and beauty that comes with being alive.

 

Rozi Plain – Red Dot

Rozi is one of my best and oldest friends. Her music moves me in a way that no other music will ever be able to. The language she uses, the images, and the way she arranges and produces her records. They’re such an extension of her soul and being and feel so very familiar to me. This song in particular resonates quite deeply in my bones. I don’t think I could explain why. It’s just very physical emotions I feel when listening to it. She is very good at seeing the world.

Careful Of Your Keepers is out tomorrow on Rough Trade Records. Look HERE for more information on This Is The Kit.