Singled Out: KB & The Idyllwilde's Madman

K. Wiggins | 12-20-2019

KB & The Idyllwilde are gearing up to release their new album in February and to celebrate we asked frontwoman Kaite Burke to tell us about the lead single "Madman". Here is the story:

I was in a relationship at the time of this song. I was in a relationship with a kind of crazy person, a friend who was so hellbent on us being in a relationship. I could NOT see how it could work out. I wrote so much music about killing him or him leaving me.

Then "Madman" happened as I started to warm to the idea and push past my physical and mental discomforts about being in a relationship. The story goes: Boy meets Girl. Girl is crazy. Girl thinks Boy will not understand her crazy so she pushes him away. Boy gets Girl, assures her he's also insane. Boy & Girl live happily ever after. They're both insane.
The End.

My favorite part in the recording process was duh, Rachel Crick on fiddle. I love the band, Gideon Boley, on guitar (those tones he makes, make me so sick with joy), Peter Wilson on drums, (his creativity and precision are frightening) and Cameron Marburger on bass, (the most focused and talented bassist I've ever seen); they all murder, but Rachel and I are soul sisters and her on fiddle is like an extension of my body and sound now.

On the second verse she makes this sound like a kettle boiling over, on the line, "Well we're hot as an oven with the temp on high and broke". Then on the next line, "You ain't run yet, but I don't suppose you won't" the fiddle deflates; the saddest air out of a balloon fiddle sound there ever was. I couldn't stop laughing. She nailed it. She perfectly encompassed that moment of UP & then DOWN that come with crazy relationships that happen too fast. Stuff like this in a studio, ridiculous solo-ing passes from guitarists and amazing mistakes. These small things are my favorite part. Maybe no one notices or cares, but they keep me lit.

Also, fun fact, I recorded this vocal in one take in my closet at home. The studio takes of my voice I just couldn't stand. I needed to be alone and just ooze all over it. Evan Sieling, my incredible producer on this track and the album, let me borrow an SM7 and go to town at home. It was like church. I got it in one take and then just kicked it in the closet for a little while basking in the gratitude I was feeling for all the atypical ways we can cut a track, nowadays.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself right here!