David Kitt

David Kitt

David Kitt is a singer-songwriter and musician from Dublin, Ireland, born in 1975. His work crosses rock, indie and folk, and he has released six solo albums.

Background and early work

Kitt grows up in a musical family: his father and uncles form a touring folk group, and he performs live while studying music technology at Trinity College Dublin. He records and mixes the eight tracks on his debut release in his bedroom. That first LP, Small Moments, appears on Rough Trade.

Solo albums

His second album, The Big Romance, comes out on Blanco y Negro in 2001 and becomes his biggest-selling record. It is followed by Square One on WEA in 2003, then The Black & Red Notebook on Rough Trade in 2005, a covers album featuring reworkings of songs by artists including Sonic Youth, Thin Lizzy and JJ Cale. In 2006 he returns to original material with Not Fade Away, also on Rough Trade.

The Nightsaver is his sixth album. It is made over two years of late-night recording in a home studio near Dublin’s Grand Canal and reflects his growing role as a producer. The record draws on disco, Kraftwerk, 1990s house, hip-hop and synth-pop influences, and includes a guest vocal from Waterford artist Katie Kim on “Beat A Retreat” and “Don’t Wake Me Up”.

Collaborations and other projects

Since mid-2007, Kitt makes house music with his brother Robbie under the name Spilly Walker, and he also records solo as New Jackson from 2011. He has been a member of Tindersticks since their Falling Down a Mountain album and tour in 2010.

Live work and recognition

During the period around The Big Romance, Kitt tours Britain and mainland Europe and shares bills with Television, Yo La Tengo, Arab Strap and Tindersticks. The Magic Numbers describe themselves as fans of his work, and David Bowie invites him to perform at the Bowie-curated Meltdown Festival at Royal Festival Hall in 2002.