On the album, the character Harry is a man, whereas in The Bricks that Built the Houses, she’s a woman struggling with her gender. “I always wanted Harry to be a woman, but didn’t quite have the guts to make the change,” Tempest says. The Bricks that Built the HousesBy Kate TempestBloomsbury Press352pp; $31There’s plenty of inspiration and perspiration in the literary world, but Kate Tempest’s sense of urgency is rare. She is a Francis Bacon painting, yelling silently and staring out.”Tempest says she experiences every moment with a similar intensity. It’s a real testament to how far we’ve come culturally that nobody’s really thought it was a big deal.” She laughs.

Source: National Post May 19, 2016 10:48 UTC