Kitty Coen – Conversations with the Moon
When you think of country music, images of gothic, alt-country songstresses don’t typically conjure up… But that’s Kitty Coen. Landing somewhere “between a saloon and a séance,” Kitty’s take on country doesn’t fully eschew the “dirt road, big truck, cold beer” aesthetic… But expect to hear some glassy-eyed songs about cocaine and dancing on graves too. The result is the stunning, 12 song offering, Conversations with the Moon, an eclectic, but ultimately super-listenable record that has enough country appeal to vibe with regular listeners; an equal amount of old-school country badassery to impress your parents; and enough angst to get indie rockers like me to pay attention. Like Stevie before her, Kitty fancies herself sorta witchy – check out a little bit more about what this album means to her below:
“This record came from those nights when you feel like the only thing listening back is the moon… It’s about isolation, connection, and building a world you can step into when the real one feels too heavy.”
Album opener “tell my mother” is lovely and orchestral, but Coen’s personality first comes out in song two, “coca!ne jacket.” Swampy and sultry, Coen sings about her and her girls being “sweet like American Pie in the back of a Chevy singing Born to Die.” Lana isn’t really a country luminary, but Coen certainly embodies that brand of sad-girl Americana in her own way – in a different life, a song like “Video Games” would fit perfectly on Conversations with the Moon (there may even be a lyrical nod to “Video Games” later on in the album). Follow up song “illinois royalty” is another great slice of twangy Americana – and the Illinois locale reminds us that it’s not just southerners that love themselves a little twang.
“grave dancin'” went a “little viral” on TikTok and it’s not hard to see why – it’s dark, but endearing, in the same way that “Goodbye Earl” was back in 1999. Kitty sings about crushing beers and grave dancin’ in the yard – like some twisted backwoods party that’s being held in a cemetery instead of a barn. It’s these juxtapositions of witchiness, black magic, and cold beer that gives Kitty her one-of-a kind charm. She’ll joke that she’s too twangy for the witches and too haunted for country radio… But who needs another cookie cutter country star? Fly the freak flag, Kitty – your friends at buffaBLOG are here for it.
For the indie rockers out there (like me) who are looking for an entry to Coen’s music – try out the lo-fi swirl of “growing pains” – the sighing slide guitar sounds like the whisper of a ghost here, instead of the whirl of a lasso being thrown through the air. “strawberry” is another great entry point – a slow-burning jam that’s sure to make jelly out of your heart.
Conversations with the Moon is available now (October 10, 2025). Check out the video for “virginia is for lovers” via the YouTube embed below, or, find it on your favorite streaming service – Spotify or Apple Music.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna