South of Lincoln was ‘discovered’ via an innocent recommendation in the forums at AltCountryTab.ca and it wasn’t even directed at me.  Yet, it ended up being meant for me…I know it.  South of Lincoln (or Maxwell Holmquist) is, you guessed it, a singer-songwriter who plays slow and acoustic music for the most part.  Yet, he does it so incredibly well by creating moods and moments that you truly fall inside of.  Small slices of life via acoustic vignette.  Some of these moments are of places you don’t wish on anyone, but in turn many of these cathartic stories set to music are needed by everyone.  It may sound overplayed about a guy with a guitar singing of love and loss – but god damn if you can’t appreciate it when it is done this good.

South of Lincoln is coming out of his shell just now and I only hope to be able to help facilitate more fans of this style of music and this artist in particular.  Do yourself a favour, read an interview below and listen along with some music samples.  Best.  New.  Artist.

~~~Interview with Maxwell Holmquist~~~

With your recording moniker ‘South of Lincoln’ and involvement with Hear Nebraska – how is the area connected to you and your music?

I’ve always been sort of obsessed with place. The name of my first album is “Homes” and I actually spent time deciding between “Home” and “Homes”. I’m interested in the concept of home and where that place is and what it means.

Everything about where I grew up has influenced my writing. I think my nostalgic obsession with the folksy, early-1900’s aesthetic comes from growing up in a tiny, dying Midwestern town (Douglas, Nebraska: Population 250). Time has sort of stopped there and the buildings are snapshots of different periods of the last 100 years. Everything just moves slower there and it’s become a peaceful refuge for me.

I have a tattoo of the outline of Nebraska on the inside of my upper arm. I love this place. It’s full of inspiration in the way of beautiful scenery, rich culture and history and honest, heart-wrenching stories.

Hear Nebraska is working to show everyone that fact: that Nebraska is full of rich culture and that art is being created by multitudes of people across the state in various forms. It’s provided a community and an environment that is ideal for creating.

It hasn’t always been that way, but in the last year I’ve thought a lot about the value of a recording. Should a recording be a representation of what a musician is doing constantly on stages across the country, or should performances be built to represent something that was built in the studio, layer upon layer? The conclusion I came to, for myself at least and for the type of stripped down music I’m playing, was that the value of what I’m doing is in the performance itself. If I can move someone to come to some sort of emotional peak with a performance and the atmosphere of that evening and everything that’s going on at that place and time, both within the listener’s mind and externally, then I’ve accomplished what I hoped to accomplish. I want my recordings to capture that atmosphere and the surroundings. Half of the tracks on my most recent album were recorded to tape in the bathroom of a recording studio, the other half were recorded in the middle of a forest in a park outside of town. I’ll always remember that experience. You can hear the birds in the background of the recording and the setting almost becomes a part of the song.

LoveDrunk Studio, the group that shoots the one-take live videos that are hosted on Hear Nebraska, got me really thinking about the single-take philosophy. I think this combination of audio, video and live performance is something that will be seen more and more.

My earlier songs were all sappy love/heartbreak songs drawn from personal experiences. I needed to get those out of my system. In the last year, I’ve made a shift to writing songs that tell fictional stories or stories that draw loosely from the experiences of people I know or stories I’ve been told by people. I much prefer telling these types of stories.

It’s a strange experience, especially when people you don’t know start recognizing you and opening up to you, telling you that they connected with something you wrote. It’s a really strange feeling when somebody asks you to sign something. I feel like saying, “I would love to sign this when more than 40 people know who I am.” It’s easy to see how musicians at higher levels gain reputations as assholes. I don’t want people to think that I think I’m above signing something. It’s the exact opposite. It feels so odd having strangers talk to you and know who you are and people wanting you to sign something, it doesn’t feel like it should be happening. I don’t feel like I deserve that kind of flattery. Then I realize that it’s not about me and if somebody wants that then I should just do it and thank them for their support.

Nothing in-particular comes to mind. I try to write stories that come to my mind or are dropped in my lap so I think my natural filter would leave out anything that I may think is off-limits for me. I try to avoid being political in my music. There are only a few musicians who I think do it well. David Bazan is one of those. It’s all semi-veiled in his music and it’s done with tact and skill. I don’t know that I can do that so I typically avoid politics and religion in my music unless I can do it without being too obvious.

With record labels going where they are and the business model shifting towards DIY I think ‘singer-songwriters’ are in a good place. Recording costs are low and it’s relatively easy and cheap to put out a fairly high-quality album, especially when it’s just one person with a guitar and a voice. It’s easier to front the money yourself and the benefits of this are that more money goes back into the pocket of the musician when albums are sold. If a solo-musician can manage it, it’s the best way to do it. It takes a lot of work off state, outside of writing and performing music, but I think there hasn’t been a better time to be performing as a solo musician.

I also think the singer-songwriter/solo musician situation lends itself well to folk music. With the folk/alt. folk movement that has been building over the past decade or so it’s the perfect climate for someone to perform as a singer-songwriter.

It definitely takes a lot of work and can seem a bit lonely, but it’s a lot easier to manage one person and make decisions when you’re making those decisions for yourself.

In high school I sang in what I would call a butt-rock band. I wasn’t always into fantastic music and definitely have some albums that are probably hiding in a box somewhere at my parents’ house. I listened to a lot of my brother’s albums growing up: R.E.M.’s “Monster”, Soundgarden’s “Superunknown”, Sublime, etc. When I was about 16 I got the Garden State soundtrack and got really into Iron & Wine. That was the beginning of my love for alt. folk. Over the next few years I was introduced to David Bazan, Damien Jurado, Will Johnson, Two Gallants, Neko Case, Andrew Bird, Mason Jennings and the sort. They became the soundtrack to every long drive through the country to the house where I grew up. Folk music became synonymous with the nostalgia that I feel for all of the great experiences I had growing up in a small, not-quite-ghost-town.

I’ve been performing in bars since I was 16 so it’s hard to imagine anything else. I have a degree in English and really enjoy writing. If I had to set down the guitar I would be content writing copy in pretty much any capacity, but I also can’t imagine having to stop playing music. I suppose my real passion is my family and my friends, but they’re already my passion side-by-side with my music.

This is really all I want to do. I don’t want to get rich. I just want to pay my college loans and feed myself. I want people to hear my music and enjoy it. I want the experience of traveling far from home and being able to sing to a crowd of strangers who appreciate what I’m doing. I want to connect with all of these people.

As far as folk/folkish music goes: Manny Coon, Smith’s Cloud, It’s True/Adam Hawkins, Betsy Wells, Daniel Dorner, Orion Walsh, Kill County, The Amalgamators, The Mezcal Brothers, Bonehart Flannigan, The Betties and probably a bunch more I’m missing.

For non-folk, other amazing bands: Conduits, Masses, Dim Light, Nick Westra, The Machete Archive, and again, probably a bunch more that I’m missing.

Lincoln and Omaha have both provided and continue to provide so many amazing musicians.

Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln

~~~

Find more on South of Lincoln: Facebook | Bandcamp | MySpace | Hear Nebraska | Twitter
Purchase South of Lincoln: iTunes | Bandcamp (all releases are ‘pay what you want’!!)

~Smansmith

I think touring in Canada can be one of the greatest things for Canadian Bands.  The country is soo vast and truly makes a “road trip” out of a tour, even if you only have 3 shows!  We don’t have super concentrated areas for the most part, so unlike a US band doing a 8 show date, they may only have to drive a couple hundred miles – do that in Canada and you may drive a couple thousand.  That being said, the Canadian tour is something I admire and I recently sat down with two such road warriors who are currently on a tour through the “Western” Canadian landscape.

Zachary Lucky has been featured on this blog a few times as his new album is one of my favourite albums of the year (and will be top 5 at least for Canadian albums this year) and I was lucky (no pun intended) enough to miss their Calgary date just over a week ago, but had a coffee with him and tour mate Andy Shauf the next day.  Below is part of what we talked about and honestly, we just sat around and “talked shop”, but take a look inside the Canadian tour of Zach and Andy:

(Videos, streams and song downloads at bottom of interview)
~~~

• Zachary, even before “Come and Gone” was released, you have been touring and have not stopped.  What inspired such a lengthy Canadian tour(s)?

When I decided to pursue music I went into it with the mind set that I would be devoting most of my time to it – and so that’s what I’ve tried to do.  I don’t feel overly comfortable in the studio (although this past record was a different experience…) and performing live seems to be what comes natural to me, plus I love getting to travel as much as possible.  Also though, in recent weeks I’ve come to realize where I (probably) got my sense of how touring should go – and I feel that my idea os touring were probably sprung from the music scene that I grew up in, which was the hardcore and punk music scene.  When I started to go to shows at a young age, it was to see bands that toured for months on end, night in and night out.  It probably had a lot to do with how I now approach touring.

• People don’t automatically think of Saskatoon/Saskatchewan for music, tell us about the Saskatoon Music Scene – the two of you are examples of the young talent in the city, what creates the urge to be a musician in SK.

Zachary: I don’t know if there is anything that really urges anyone to make music in the prairies specifically, I think there is a collectiveness to the prairies though.  Believe it or not, there is a ton of great music coming out of the prairies, Saskatoon and Regina Specifically.  I feel blessed to be among those artists that are taking their songs out of the province, around the country.

Andy: The Regina music scene is pretty close-knit. There are some great bands and talented individuals in the city. My urge to be a musician comes from my urge to be a good songwriter, and I think that’s influenced strongly by my living in the prairies.

• You both have new albums out, tell us about them or something about what brought them to be.

Zachary: I feel that Come and Gone was a natural progression for me – with three two EPs and a pre-release to the record, it came pretty naturally.  The record definitely took its time though, and wasn’t a fan of sticking to any sort of plan.  We originally planned to do the record with a couple different producers, one in Saskatchewan, and one in British Columbia.  Both plans fell through.  So we took what we had in our hands (metaphorically) and used it to the best of our abilities.  We spent two weeks in the attic of a 100 year old home in Yorkton, Saskatchewan and crafted what became Come and Gone.  All in all, I am super happy with how things turned out, but in the same breath – I can’t wait to start working on new songs, and some sort of new release.

Andy: My new album is an EP of songs that I really liked to play live right after my full length Darker Days came out. They are a little bit older, but they are songs that I feel were important to a time in my life.

• What is on your road trip mix-tape?

Zachary: A few records that I’ve been listening to a lot:
Deep Dark Woods – Winter Hours
J. Tillman – Year in the Kingdom
The Band – S/T
Roscoe Holcomb – That High Lonesome Sound
Joel Plaskett Emergency – Ashtray Rock
Wilco – Ghost is born / Being there

Andy: Zach just pumps the Nickelback all day and I plug my ears. Just kidding

• As a blogger, I sit and write about artists being out there on the road, but don’t actually experience it.  What is the most challenging thing / most rewarding thing when touring?

Zachary: The road can both be real easy, and natural, and quite difficult and isolating sometimes.  I think what I find hardest is how you can be distanced from society, and any sense of stability and normality.  In this documentary about Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Conor says something along the lines of… “The longer you are gone, the less you can relate to anyone outside of the tour” and I find that to be pretty true.  I think touring is like any other job, you can totally let it get you down, or you can make it the best thing you’ve ever been apart of.  Its all what you make it.

Andy: The most challenging thing is probably just being away from home, and then coming back and wanting things to be the same as they were. The most rewarding thing is probably just playing shows.

• What has been the most receptive audience so far on tour (outside of hometown), either together or on your individual tours?

Zachary: On this particular tour so far, we’ve only three or four shows into the tour so things are still getting going – but out of the shows Andy and I have done together I would have to say that our house show in Calgary was the most enjoyable for me.  It was packed to the rafters and there were people sitting upstairs against the railings, and crowded on the floor in this tiny living room – the place really felt full (which it was) – but everyone was there for the same reason.  And I think those sorts of shows can be really amazing when everyone is on the same wavelength and there for the same purpose.  It was a beautiful night.

Andy: We played in Edmonton a few nights ago a guy got kicked out of the bar for being disruptive, so that was pretty cool. They were pretty receptive. I’ve never had that happen before.

• Do you consider being tagged as “Canadian Musicians” as a sense of national pride or a descriptor for being in a niche market?

Zachary: I totally would wear the hat of being a Canadian Musician.  I think the music business is constantly changing, especially in the past few years.  Its gone from Canada being the hat to the American Music Industry to us being our completely own entity and I think that is something to really be proud of.  I’m so proud about it and feel honored to be among the many amazing musicians that are leaving their mark on the music scenes around the world.

Andy: I think it’s a good thing. People seem to be interested in what’s going on in ‘Canadian Music’ these days.

• What is the biggest tool to getting noticed as a musician in Canada – is it the Web (and what parts), is it the tour or does the old adage “Make great music, make great fans” ring true?

Zachary: I think its a combination of both, the use of internet marketing and performing live.  For me, I rely pretty heavily on touring.  Its what I feel I excel at most, and in regards to touring, I think its just important to be consistent in different cities.  People want to know that they’ll be able to see you perform in their city after the release of your record, and then a few months after that.  At least as a listen, I feel that way.

Andy: I just to make good songs and hope that people want to keep listening. I have some pretty loyal fans and I’m incredibly lousy at doing internet things, so maybe it’s working out.

There you have a little insight into the touring of two of Saskatchewan’s best new musicians.  They still have 7 dates together upcoming (See Zach’s MySpace page for a crap load of upcoming dates).

Find a video of Zachary playing “Small Town Streets” for Naked Jams Sessions – fantastic, you will see why I have been enjoying his album soo much.

~

Bonus stream of “O’ Ontario” – this one kills me!

~

I also had a chance to listen to the new release from Andy Shauf, and I have to say I am hugely impressed with this guy.  He comes across as a quiet guy at first, but you know he has a sense of humour and an incredible talent for songwriting.  The new release that he is selling on the tour is called “Waiting For The Sun To Leave” and is such a hushed collection of acoustic tracks that range from almost upbeat to a extra quiet laments – if you find it, definitely pick up a copy.

“Open” from Andy Shauf that appears on the new album:

“With You” – Andy Shauf, from “Waiting For The Sun To Leave”

Thanks again to both of this guys for stopping by a coffee shop in Calgary before heading out to BC to play shows.  If you can catch either one of these two, I recommend it….if only you can tell me how the show was as I keep missing them…

Zachary Lucky: Bandcamp, MySpace, iTunes
Any Shauf: Bandcamp, MySpace, iTunes

~Smansmith

I have been a fan of Will Stratton for a the past few years ever since first listening to “What The Night Said” and some of the previously released tracks from it.  Such good acoustic singer songwriter with flecks of orchestral moments, indie pop style hooks and overall solid tunes throughout his material to date.  Stratton’s newest offering “No Wonder” hits the world today and should be something that you are looking into.

This album picks up where he left off with “What The Night Said” in the fact that Stratton continues his life vignettes to song.  His voice simply accents the music, he doesn’t overpower anything and isn’t trying to force himself into the song.  The songs are the music that accompanies his lyrics – neither is more important and in fact the album without lyrics could almost be a release in itself.  I also don’t want to be gotten wrong, with Stratton at the helm of the vocals, it only brings the whole package.  Stratton also has some assistance in the vocal department on this album with Jess Funston & Essie Jain (yes that Essie Jain).  I like the addition of harmony it brings, with songs like “For Franny Grass” and “The Country Clear” the addition feels natural – it isn’t actually a duet, just an accent.

The album also enjoys some growth on the inclusion of more strings (cello, viola) and even a bit of horns in completing the album.  While the entire album flows nicely, there is even one track that might stick out to the Will Stratton regulars and that is the track “If Only” which is quite upbeat and includes rocking guitars and full percussion.  While it is a bit of an escape from the album, I am still a bit torn if it adds a layer or takes away as an experiment – you can decide when you listen to the full album.  For me the stand out tracks include “Judas 1966″, “New Jersey” (total uber slow ballad, gorgeous), “For No One”, “Who Will” and the modern day Robin Hood tale of “Robin & Marian”.

“Who Will” – from 2009′s “No Wonder”
Bonus out-takes from the album:
“Judas, 1966 (Alternate Version)”
“For No One (Demo Version)”

~~~

Will was kind enough to answer a few questions about the album and what is going on with him, see below:

WILL STRATTON INTERVIEW

> * What was the inspiration for this album versus “What The Night Said” or was it just a natural step to the next album?

What The Night Said was a very easy record to make. I had already recorded an earlier version with most of the same songs, and they were songs that just came out of being in high school and feeling the way I did, and so when I was asked to come make an album in a studio it was just a matter of going over everything and improving a bit on it.

No Wonder took longer for me to write–basically, it took me all of my time in college to write and record something that I was happy with. I have been moving around quite a bit since the summer after high school, and so the sort of false consistency of my life up to that point is gone.  So at various times it was about different things, but I think it ended up being a mixture, a sort of compromise with myself so that I could be decently happy with the result and move onto something else.  After a certain point I would come back to it after months of being at school and not thinking about it, and I was just rewriting and rerecording everything–it had become a cycle of reevaluating everything, because of the big gaps between sessions, and I realized that if I didn’t put a stop to that, it would never get done. There are a lot of songs that I ended up throwing away, songs that are more story-oriented like “Judas, 1966″ and “Robin & Marian.”

I think at one point I was trying to make it a record about the folk song. But I think that most of the songs that are on the record as it is are about looking for home, and not quite finding it. What The Night Said was an album about home (in other words, about the town where I largely grew up, Basking Ridge, New Jersey), and No Wonder is about the process of figuring out what comes after that.  It is a strange record, at least to me.  As the album format begins to die, I find myself trying to hold on to it, and I think maybe that is where the strangeness comes from.

> * Do you gain inspiration from those you work with, music you listen to or does it simply come to you?

Partly, I just find myself humming or singing melodies during the day, and I make a note of them and try to put them in a song. Those seem to come out of nowhere, but occasionally I will catch one that sounds nearly identical to a song that I’ve heard recently, or an old song that I love, and I try to steer clear of those.  So I try to filter it down to melodies that just sort of arrive in my head without much effort, because I find that those melodies have a particular quality to them. But yes, as far as the actual sounds that make it onto my finished recordings, I take a lot of inspiration from other artists.

Albums like Scott Walker’s Scott 3, Big Star’s Third, Neil Young’s After The Gold Rush, His Name Is Alive’s Detrola, and dozens of other records all contributed to the sound of this record, in one way or another. I’m slowly getting closer to being more comfortable with my own sound, which I think will be more evident on my third record.  No Wonder is more of a bird’s nest sort of album, with little stylistic fragments brought in from all over the place.  Other people probably won’t be able to hear most of them, because in the process of paying tribute to the music that I love, it often ends up sounding nothing like what I intended.

> * The style of music you make would be considered laments and beautiful soundscapes. I noticed the new album has a pretty rocking track called “If Only” – is this a new sound or is it simply a song to mix it up?

I was in a lot of punk bands in middle school and high school, some of which were pretty embarrassing, but others were a lot of fun. If Only was originally a sort of dirge-like folk song, with a couple more verses, and I decided it was just too depressing and boring that way. So I ended up recording the guitars and vocals in about a half an hour on a whim, and then Kieran (drummer, label owner, co-producer) came in and I had him do some really visceral, simple drums, and after one take of lead guitar by the brilliant Aaron Tasjan, from the Madison Square Gardeners, and a great sort of Matt Freeman-style bass line from Rob Calder, I had a really un-Will Stratton-sounding track on my hands.

It was going to be a secret track but I decided I liked it too much for that. It’s actually sort of an old sound for me, in that it sounds a bit like those old bands I used to play in.  But yes, I do plan on making a lot more music that doesn’t fit whatever tendencies people currently ascribe to me, if there are any.  I want to make a noise record or two, and I’m working on a piece of chamber music right now that I writing some lyrics for.  It may be the first half of a double album–I’m not sure yet.

> * I see Essie Jane makes an appearance on the album, how did this come about?

I’m a big fan of Essie’s music, and I asked her to sing on a couple tracks.  The last Essie Jain record was recorded at The Buddy Project, where I do most of my recording these days, and I met her when she was coming to check it out with Jon Mizrachi, who played trumpet on both of our records, and who handles film and television licensing for both of us.  I met her again later on–she came to a show I played on the Lower East Side a couple years ago, where she and her husband live–and we all had some dinner after the show, and I thought I might as well ask her if she would sing on the record.  And she said yes! It was fun.  She came in and did it over an hour or so.

> * Your sound can be soo full at times but I consider you a solo artist. Are you actually a solo artist or is there a band/team behind “Will Stratton”?

I’m not sure if there’s a straight answer to that. There’s no band, at least not right now, but I always try to have a good set of people around to contribute.  Vile Bodies, a free EP that I made a couple months ago, and that you can get on my Bandcamp site, is just me. But No Wonder has a bunch of great musicians on it.  I already mentioned Essie, Jon, Aaron, Rob, and Kieran, so I should probably mention the rest–Dave Dunbar came in and  played viola.  He’s responsible for the great arrangement on “The Country Clear,” and the rest was done under closer direction from me.  Dan Bindschedler, a cellist, came in on really short notice and did some really skillful improvisation, which I edited a bit later on.  Kyle McCammon played upright bass on a few tracks and did a really solid job.  And my friend Jess Funston contributed some truly stellar vocals in addition to Essie’s.

Sometimes I know in advance whether a performer has a similar or a complimentary aesthetic to me early on, and so I let people try out their own parts, and then I edit everything until I’m satisfied with it during the mixing process, but occasionally I get more specific with people when I have something definite in mind from the outset.  Now that I’m getting some work as an arranger once in a while I’m starting to think more seriously about this.

> * What is coming up for you? New album release show, tour, relaxing?

After looking for a job for four months since I graduated from college, I finally found something part-time.  So I’m playing a show here and there in New York, I’m working on new recordings, and I’m trying to continue to sort things out–find more work, start to pay off my loans, get a place of my own, maybe join a band or two.

There’s no tour planned, not right now.  I don’t have a booking agent, and I have the naive idea in my head that a really good one will find me.  I will try to pop up once in a while in different places in the states and Canada, though, if I get a chance.  As it is, I get a lot more pleasure from the recording process than from performing. I’m slowly getting more excited about the idea of performing for people more frequently.  I just don’t know if my music always deserves the level of attention that it requires when I perform it by myself, and I don’t know if my music always thrives with an ensemble.

These are things I am working on–maybe when I’m twenty five or so, I’ll have it all sorted out.

There you have an interview with this up and coming singer songwriter – I personally love that last line…It makes me feel very past my prime, but I won’t hold it against Will…

Bonus previous Will Stratton:

Will Stratton
“Katydid” (mp3)
“So Ashamed” (mp3)
“Sonnet” (mp3)
from “What The Night Said”
(Stunning Models on Display)

More On This Album

Visit & Purchase Will Stratton:

~Smansmith

So as I mentioned earlier, I keep getting reminded how much Lewis & Clarke sneak up on me and just captivate me.   Once again, they do so.

Late last year I had a bit of back and forth with Lou Rogai about putting a post together.  Things got busy for both of us, L&C was getting ready to put out another release and it got away from us.  I thought I would get this out there along with a great track from their stellar “live at WPRB” EP from a few years back.  That particular release which provoked my renewed interest was originally a “live only vinyl” but is readily available via online digital stores/label website and is a must have for Slowcouticals.

Well onto the interview.  Honestly to call the below an interview might be a stretch, but see below for a few questions with Lou Rogai of Lewis & Clarke.

~ With your sound it seems so complete and whole with the vocals, harmony and music – do you work out a song all at once (combining the 3 aspects) or do you have a sound that you feed lyrics to or Lyrics that need a soundtrack?

I wish there was a formula like this, because I would be churning out the buttery jams at a rapid pace. There’s no real method, though. It’s all so random. The ingredients are random bits. Sometimes I am humming a tune while walking, or doing dishes. Sometimes it’s a guitar line I stumble upon while spacing out on my porch late at night. There are always paper scraps in my notebook with little poems or lyrical ideas. These things somehow always attract each other, and I am there to help them along, the ideas I mean. It’s all bits that are meant to be together, I like to think of it that way. I don’t have the time or discipline to sit down and say “Ok, it’s songwriting time, this one’s going to have a 3/4 tempo and it’s lyrical theme shall be mystically obtuse”.

~ How did the “Perfect As Cats: A Tribute to The Cure” come about – and why did you select (or did you select?) the utterly amazing “Disintegration” as your cover?

Paul from Manimal Vinyl was the mastermind behind the album, and I immediately secured that song when he asked me to contribute. It’s a undertaking, but it was obviously mirroring exactly what was going on for me personally last summer. And that track has haunted me for years. I ordered Disintegration through the CD mail order club I belonged to when I was a kid. Some older Goth gals (Thanks Jenn and Deanna, wherever you are!) had made a mix for me with early Cure that I loved. That whole album affected me, especially that song. I used to light candles and lay in the dark with headphones for that one. The breaking glass in the intro, and the repetition, I felt like I had a kindred understanding of what Robert Smith was feeling, stuck on some sort of spinning wheel and displaying intense emotional weirdness, although most of the subject matter I would not relate to in a deeper way until much later.

~ You mention new album, what is the story, date, tracklist, departure from “Blasts..” or “Bare Bones…” or continuation?  New projects, do tell???

Light Time (which is a 12″ vinyl EP) has just seen the light of day, and I am now working on material for a new full length. Some of Light Time’s tracks could have been included in the upcoming batch, but it seemed that they were framed by a certain time period, and with just reason. They fit a vibe all of their own. I am most recently creating sounds with Karen Codd (cello), brothers Ian and Shane O’hara (double bass and drums), and of course Tom Asselin (atmospherics). Each player is contributing their own unique stylings. We’ll be touring the US with Caroline Weeks this summer, starting July 24.

So, there you have it, a little insight to a few projects and on how the sounds are created and eventually shared with us all.  Speaking of sharing, after checking out the track below, head over to the label La Société Expéditionnaire to pick up an album, it is well worth it.  If you must start somewhere, the Live EP is great, but don’t miss out on “Blasts of Holy Birth” and “Bare Bones and Branches” full lengths.

Visit Lewis & Clarke on their Website and MySpace, and follow them on twitter – @Lewis_Clarke.

~Smansmith

“The heart of a cur keeping time with her bedroom eyes.” ~JLL

The upcoming album from Jeffrey Luck Lucas entitled “The Lion’s Jaw” should be out any second and from the few tracks I have heard it is going to be another incredible album.  This is a top album in the “looking forward to in 2009″ for me and am glad it is about to surface.  Why this guy isn’t more famous, is beyond me.

Yes, I am being purposefully vague about the release date for the new album as it has not “officially” been set yet, but I have good authority that it will be available within the next couple of weeks.  The music industry can be an enigma in itself and a lowly music blogger simply wants the end product of a great album.  This particular great album cannot get here fast enough.  If anyone is familiar with Jeffrey Luck Lucas you will know that there is a theme/feeling/aura surrounding the work of Lucas: one of solitude, trying times and ultimately a mixture of hope amongst bleak times.  In going back and forth with Lucas (as you will see below in the interview), he is conscious of this mystique he conjures with his talent.  One that draws me like a moth to a flame, not blindly, but just something that consistently brings fulfilling music – not the one hit wonders or smash and grab singles that circle the world of music these days.

Lucas has 2 previous albums to date of which both come highly recommended for lovers of the sombre almost Americana crowd.  I say almost as his music floats around many genres but doesn’t make its home in anything specific – It has essence of a Matthew Ryan’s melancholy, Leonard Cohen’s storytelling and delivery.  I used those two artists as one brings to mind a mature established performer with the other bringing something more modern down-tempo, the blending of it all gives you a great idea of what Jeffrey Luck Lucas provides.  Another way to put it is to let you know the titles of the two previous album “Hell Then Divine” and “What We Whisper”.  So you get an aching performance of the down trodden with that glimmer of redemption only moments away (all the while being aware of oneself and being awake to some humour of it all).

Well, if I can say one thing, it is “The Lion’s Jaw” is going to be another notch on this troubadour’s belt and should make it’s way to your collection…soon.  Let’s dig into a bit of “Q & A” with Jeffrey Luck Lucas.

~~~

1. Who is Jeffrey Luck Lucas – introduce yourself to our readers – and is “Luck” really your middle name?

“Luck” is as real a name as any of mine, in my opinion, though I wasn’t born with it. I was christened with the name around a pool table in a great long-lost dive bar. It had a nice ring to it so I let it stick. I don’t know how to introduce myself. Maybe we’ll let the music do the introducing? I mean, it’s all there.

2. We are big fans here at Slowcoustic/You Crazy Dreamers and me especially as I am a jokingly described as a fan of “sad bastard music” – is this how you would describe your music?

Thank you… I do appreciate the support and encouragement to keep doing the dirty work. Though I do encourage others getting dirty with me.

I would say that the music is created by a sad bastard, but it isn’t all sad (and neither is the bastard). I think there’s a lot of beauty and humor drifting alongside all the emotional wreckage and debris. Not to mention sex and violence.

I think as more recordings surface the story will become more complete. It is definitely a living voyage that just happened to begin with a funeral march.

3. Now releasing your third album “The Lion’s Jaw” – When is it being released, where can we get it?

THE LION’S JAW will be released soon, this month I believe. It has been horribly delayed. The only bright side being that I’ve basically finished the fourth album (which I’m really really excited about) and that should be coming out this year as well. I don’t have a title yet, unfortunately.

You should be able to get THE LION’S JAW soon on iTunes and other online electronic distributors. We will also be doing a limited run of vinyl and CDs that will be personalized, numbered, etc. And it will have it’s own European label/release as well.

4. What were some of the things that lead to or assisted in the creation of the new album?

A sense of growing strength. An ability to face the present with clear vision. Working through an emotional backlog. Being comfortable in the skin of the night. Giving-up black and white ideals. Coming to terms with never coming to terms. Eroticism and passion in the midst of hell. And new sources of inspiration from my friends and loved ones. From their music. And Desmond Shea’s co-vision… his ability to find diamonds in my bullshit. [please edit this at will]

I really view THE LION’S JAW as a door. It marks the end and the beginning, depending on which way you’re heading.

5. You are more than a “guy with a guitar” – you are known as a trained composer & cellist, how do these integrate into your albums?

I tried to plaster as much of my self and my vision as I could on these records. I love doing arrangements and playing any and every thing I can. I record demos for every song, playing all the instruments. I learn so much from doing that. BUT… now I’ve found some guys who’ve living the music with me… and they’re bringing something… so I think the next records will be a little less claustrophobic… more accessible in a purely collaborative/spiritual way. Jesus, did I just write that?

6. Any upcoming shows, festivals that you are appearing at – where can we see ya?

Well, we’ve been working hard to get a strong band that can handle the music, so you should be seeing us over the next few months. You have to let the record simmer for awhile before you go out to lose money in support of it. Seriously, though, we’ll be in Europe late Fall/Winter and start from there.

I’ll also have a pretty full schedule playing cello and other things with other artists like KIRA LYNN CAIN and JAMES FINCH JR. this Summer and Fall.

7. Who are artists that you have toured/worked with that have influenced you?

TINDERSTICKS, JOHN DOE, ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO, THE WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY come to mind, as far as artists I’ve shared the stage with. My bandmates, JUSTIN FRAHM and JAMES FINCH JR. are amazing songwriters, along with KIRA LYNN CAIN. SEAN COLEMAN (now of Dublin, Ireland) is an amazing musician and an inspiration. And we wouldn’t be here talking if it weren’t for DESMOND SHEA, producer, engineer, 5th Beatle, etc. I’m probably missing a dozen or so. What the hell…

As far as influences that I haven’t had a chance to work with or share the stage with, I would say LOU REED, SERGE GAINSBOURG, SCOTT WALKER, NICK DRAKE, NICK CAVE, LEONARD COHEN, JOHNNY CASH, LAMBCHOP, IGGY POP, ITALIAN FILM MUSIC, etc. etc.

~~

There you have the great insight of JLL and please consider frequenting his sites to find the new album once released.  Prior to that, you can pick up a copy of “What We Whisper” (iTunes and CD Baby) and “Hell Then Divine” (iTunes and CD Baby).
You can also visit Mr. Lucas over on his Website and his MySpace page for updates on the new album.

~Smansmith

Well folks it is more than “possible”, it is in fact a post and interview with John Goraj.  Some may not know of this northern prairie boy, but you just might need to.

I first heard John Goraj when fellow blogger Olivier over on You Crazy Dreamers put a post on him, and I took a listen and liked it.  Then I kind of forgot due to my own blog and the numerous bands/artists that you find in your inbox, the day job, the wife and kids (two dogs) and I “re-found” Goraj a couple of weeks back.  I am glad I did, the album is a great indie folk/singer songwriter release.  Whether it is his soft but spirited delivery (wavering just at the right time), the numerous appearances of banjo (my favourite) or the honest stories throughout the album – it is plain and simple good.   If you were not mistaken, you might find a bit of southern influence but I can’t place it – it isn’t “gothic” but more bluegrass-ish, all while he almost chants above the music.  It can feel quite powerful at times, especially in headphones!

His album “Possible” came out last year and is available on iTunes and CD Baby.  It is great collection of 10 tracks of melancholy gospel for me.  Stand out tracks include “Kahlil Gibran from Lebanon”, “Burn” and “Baby Blue Cords”.  But overall the album is very cohesive, so I think they may feel like feature tracks because of the backing of the album, who knows – I do tend to ramble!  There is another full length album on the way in 2010 and hopefully we will be seeing an EP release this fall that will find it a digital only release on iTunes, etc.

Let’s not kid ourselves, folk music or singer songwriter can be fairly straight forward to those who don’t immerse themselves in it, so dive into an interview and a couple of tracks!

1. First off, introduce yourself and tell us “Who is John Goraj”?

My name is John Goraj. I’m from South Dakota. I’m a songwriter. I live in Los Angeles. I’m skinny. I’m obsessed with melodies. I love mango juice and American Spirit cigarettes. I could listen to Bon Iver’s album, “For Emma, Forever Ago” all day long. Sometimes I text myself things i need to remember. I worked on a monastery in rural Oregon picking fruit right after I graduated high school. My mom taught me how to sing. I think the cello is the most gorgeous sounding instrument created.

2. The big move, why move from the heartland to the big city?

I’m not sure exactly why I moved to LA, I just knew that I couldn’t be in Sioux Falls anymore. Not because I don’t like it there, because I love South Dakota and miss it a lot. There are many talented musicians and songwriters there and I’m blessed to call them friends. It was just time for me to leave. I had done everything I needed to do there and I felt strongly that I needed to go somewhere else and share my music with new people and that place just happened to be California.

3. What were your influences for “Possible”, and how did they manifest themselves on the album?

“Possible” was recorded in Sioux Falls over a pretty long amount of time, almost two years. Mostly, because the studio we recorded in was in my friend’s dad office building so we couldn’t get much done during business hours because people were working. The songs equally span a long period of time, some of them were several years old by the time they were released. Some of them were written when I was going to college in Bozeman, Montana. Some of them were written in my house in Sioux Falls and others like “Kahlil Gibran” was written and added in right of the end of the recording sessions

Since the songs cover so many years of my life, it was hard to figure out what the fuck these songs were even about? So I had to dig a little, to find out what I should call it I ended up calling it, “Possible” because of the song “Possible,” which is mostly about my relationship to God or a higher essence that I was feeling very profoundly at the time. Its hard to explain, but the general theme of the song and the album, are the feelings of shame, pain and sorrow being totally transcended by grace. But those feelings never disappear. Also, the song expresses the possibility of good when everything seems destitute and pointless. More simply, the “possible” idea meant for me that it was actually possible that I could actually be a full-time musician someday and make albums for the rest of my life-a dream I’m still navigating.

As far as influences on “Possible,” I’m really bad at this question, because my answer probably won’t make much sense. But vocally, I’m very influenced by the voices of Shannon Hoon, Jeremy Enigk and Van Morrison. I love going all over the place with scales when I’m singing and I love crazy long notes. I won’t exhaust you with an inexhaustible list of songwriters I love, but right now, I can’t stop listening to the newest Weepies album, Hideaway- pure dream pop goodness with vulnerable and intelligent lyrics. The melodies fucking kill me! So good!

4. What is upcoming, new music, tours, etc?

Right now I’m just writing new music and reminding myself how to play all the new stuff I wrote on piano last winter and booking shows in LA. I probably wont be on tour until I have some money to go because I’m totally poor right now!

5. What do you find is the hardest thing about “the music business” – inspiration, recording, promotion, traveling?

The shittiest thing about the music business is that there’s a lot of selfish, egotistical people in the music business, that don’t really know what it’s like to need music so much that you can hardly stand it! There’s a lot of people in the industry that don’t give a shot about music, but care a lot about making money. But, I believe there are also a lot of people who work very hard to make sure that beautiful, passionate music that we all need to hear is heard.

Thanks again to John for agreeing to become part of the Slowcoustic family!

Don’t forget to visit John on MySpace and then head to iTunes or CD Baby to pick up a copy of “Possible”!

~Smansmith

Remember the name because she is great.  Remember the name because there is a new album on the way.  Remember the name because you are listening to the next “Cat Power meets PJ Harvey”, and that is saying something.

I have been listening to this Ivana’s music for a couple of years from first discovering her from some blogs that I visit on a regular basis – I think it was “You Ain’t No Picasso” who I believe is a huge supporter.  Fans, including myself, of Ivana XL find her catchy but not trendy /dark but not brooding / Lo-Fi but enveloping – as you can see, I really like her.  If you are a reader of this blog, you will know I fall in love with artists that bring lo-fi starkness to beautiful harmonies and Ivana does just that.  I just picture her in a make shift recording studio in her bedroom, guitar in hand, singing within herself – she doesn’t have to rely on mixing and more mixing to get it just right, it sound perfect the way it is.  Don’t get me wrong, with the right crew – this post punk singer songwriter may be the next indie darling – this just might be on the way with her next project.

Below is a short interview with Ivana that not only gives you the information but a glimpse into her personality – possibly this guitar wielding pixie is the girl next door, the one you always think back upon and say “I should have got to know her better” – now is your chance.

5 Questions with Ivana XL

• So the name…what is “Ivana XL”?

It’s just my name with an XL at the end haha. I wish I could make that
more interesting. Actually it was my friend TK who gave me the name a
few years ago. We were at a party and he started saying like “Ivana
Tinkle, Ivana Humpalot…Ivana XL” I was like OH YEA? I LIKE IVANA XL!
It stays!

• How/Where did you get the urge to become a musician?

I’ve just always played music since I can remember. I think a lot of
musicians are like that. It’s a lot like breathing. It’s not really
something I chose to do, because if I had my choice I’d totally be
passionate about the law, or medicine.. you know $$. My first song
was “Stuck on you (Like glue)” which I wrote when I was 5 haha. I
moved around a whole lot when I was a kid, almost ever year, so it was
something that kept me calm and I guess sane. I was also very very shy
so it was something I could do to come out of my shell, even if it was
only me in my bedroom recording on a 4-track. I started out playing
the violin because my dad is an orchestra conductor.. and then I heard
Nirvana and went with an electric guitar.

• What are some artists you enjoy or have found yourself contributing to your music?

Like I said Nirvana was so so huge for me. Pavement, Guided By Voices,
Billie Holiday still makes me weepy. I think those were the big
obsessions. There’s so much amazing stuff out now. We are in a
beautiful time for music. Even the stuff on the radio, the pop songs,
Britney. I love Britney. I love Amy. I’m not really that picky.

• Where are you located, performing – where can the people see/listen/experience Ivana XL?

I live in Brooklyn. I love it here! Some shows coming up are:

May 26, 2009, UNION HALL
June 11th UNION POOL (Showcase for Northside Festival)
June 18th MATCHLESS
June 23rd PETE’S CANDY STORE

• New album coming up? What is happening!

It might be a full album? It might just be an EP? We are 5 songs in.
I’m working with a producer for the first time named Dan Chen. He’s
wonderful. These songs are definitely different from what I’ve done in
the past. There’s other STUFF on the recordings. Little tinkly bells.
Piano. They sound happier, poppier.. you know, just a different side.
I’ve never worked with anyone on songs before. I always just wrote a
song and immediately recorded it without much thought about a bridge
or structure, which I think was good because it just came out
honestly, like throwing up… but then there’s another way to kind of
guide a listener through a song. There’s a climax. There’s this little
sound you were not expecting. There are formulas. Definitely
experimenting and having a lot of fun with it. Besides that I’m going
to release a full album worth of super old stuff, very soon, on the
internets.

There you have it, thank you to Ivana for becoming the newest member of the Slowcoustic family!  The songs included are “2043″ from her “EP”, “Sundowner” from her “Ivana XL” EP and a bonus cover of Carly Simon’s “Nobody Loves You Better”!

Check her out on MySpace HERE, follow her on Twitter – @IVANAXL.
Head to iTunes to purchase her Self Titled EP HERE and her EP HERE.

~Smansmith

The Subject: Tony Dekker
How Do You Know Subject: Lead in the band Great Lake Swimmers
Subject’s Reason for Speaking: Album “Lost Channels” being released March 31, 2009
Why Do We Care: Because it’s the Great Lake Swimmers new Album, damn it!

So Tony Dekker has been a good sport for a few blogs and offered up some interview time to bat around a bit of “Q & A”.  Well with the new album spinning on the proverbial playlists around Slowcoustic HQ for a few weeks, I have waited on posting this interview until a bit closer to the actual release date and launch of the tour.  Well, this is close enough, the tour has started, and the album will be out in a couple of weeks.

The “Lost Channels” album is still new to me, and while I do enjoy it immensely, I feel it is the start of a new chapter for GLS.  If anyone has been following Tony & Co. for the last few years – you will find that what I consider their signature sound, seems to be melding with a more modern full band approach.  This evolution of the band is often necessary to grow and this new album has shown much growth for these Canadian Icons.  Do not fret, there is still the signature hushed deliver of Dekker on many tracks (New Light, Concrete Heart) along with transitional songs (Palmistry and Everything Is Moving So Fast) to the full newer sound (She Comes To Me In Dreams and The Chorus in The Underground).

The album finds great folk roots at its heart, but it brings with it the flowering of blue grass and even countrified slide guitar.  In listening, you could place the songs on different sides of the same coin (if not a vinyl release) as you might almost feel it being two EPs, fused into a full solid release.  While I will always enjoy the lone acoustic GLS, there is something to be said for the ability to flex your sound to something that might possibly “rock the house” at any specific moment.  I am sure the live show is going to be spectacular, especially for this album.  Well enough, lets hit the recording backstory then follow it with interview below!

Backstory on the recording of the album:

“…their fourth album set for release on March 31st, finds them once again recording at historic locations. This time in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario and New York state, telling tales of hidden histories, still “mining for light in the dark wells,” still “tuned to an instrument of greater and unknown design….  Dekker chooses to record in old churches, community halls, abandoned grain silos and rural locations. It’s easy to hear why. His voice doesn’t need any studio embellishment, standing at its strongest when bathed in natural reverb and enriched by the historical context surrounding it.”

~~

Tony Dekker Interview:

Slow:  Being a Canadian Blogger, I don’t consider it a label but consider it a part of my persona, do you see Great Lake Swimmers as a “Canadian Band”?

TD:  I like to think there is something Canadian in what we do, especially in that a lot of the songwriting centres around themes of the natural world. I love being in Canada and living here. But I think that music and ideas don’t necessarily have borders.

Slow:  What was the point where you decided “This is my life, I am a musician now”?

TD:  July 14th, 2008. We opened for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in Toronto, and after the show Robert Plant shook my hand and told me I had a great voice. After that I figured that I was in the right line of work.

Slow:  Musically, what was the key inspiration for “Lost Channels”?

TD:  I had been listening to the songs of the original Carter Family quite a bit and was fascinated by their ability to get a full idea into a 3 minute song. I wanted to use the medium of the song to try to get a concise thought in a relatively small amount of space. I wasn’t always able to do that but that was one of the inspirations.

Slow:  I noticed there is a few more “up tempo” tracks on the album, is this a progression for GLS, or is this just something that was needed on this release?

TD:  After I had finished writing the songs, I think that I was more open to the collaborative process in figuring out the instrumentation. It was interesting to me to watch the songs transform from guitar and voice to the way they ended up. It wasn’t a overly conscious thing but just how it developed.

Slow:  I know you are now touring in support of the new album, what keeps you going while on tour?

TD:  Staying healthy, trying to eat right and being surrounded by good people definitely helps.

Slow:  What are your favorite places to play? Remember I am from Calgary and you are here March 26th…. ;-)

TD:  My favorite place to play in Calgary on March 26th is Grace Presbyterian Church. But seriously, there a number of places that I also really like, such as the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield, QC and the Aeolian Hall in London, ON.

Slow:  What artists do you enjoy and do they influence your songwriting/crafting?

TD:  I’ve been listening to the new Timber Timbre record a lot lately – it’s amazing. I also listen to a lot of old country and folk records, like the Louvin Brothers, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, and Hank Williams. I listen to these records as a music appreciator, so I wouldn’t say that they necessarily influence my songwriting.

Slow:  Your album is released on March 31st, what albums are you most looking forward to this year?

TD:  I haven’t really been keeping tabs on what’s being released this year. New records by Will Johnson are always appreciated though.

Slow:  The first song I truly loved by GLS was “Moving Pictures Silent Films” – I know we all listen and decide we know what it is about, but what is it truly about?

TD:  If I told you what it was about, it would sort of ruin it, wouldn’t it?

Slow:  Thank you Tony, to end, name something you want readers to know about GLS?

TD:  Come see us play on this tour – we’re really excited to be on the road again, and the band is in fine form!

There you have it.  Visit Great Lake Swimmers on their Website and MySpace.  Check the dates for the tour folks, they just might be visiting a location close and there isn’t any reason you should not be there.  Now, just to pick up the “Lost Channels” Bonus Material EP…

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2009/03/16/tony-dekker-talks-about-great-lake-swimmers-upcoming-album-tour/feed/ 2 3:19 The Subject: Tony Dekker How Do You Know Subject: Lead in the band Great Lake Swimmers Subject's Reason for Speaking: Album "Lost Channels" being released March 31, ... The Subject: Tony Dekker How Do You Know Subject: Lead in the band Great Lake Swimmers Subject's Reason for Speaking: Album "Lost Channels" being released March 31, 2009 Why Do We Care: Because it's the Great Lake Swimmers new Album, damn it! So Tony Dekker has been a good sport for a few blogs and offered up some interview time to bat around a bit of "Q & A".  Well with the new album spinning on the proverbial playlists around Slowcoustic HQ for a few weeks, I have waited on posting this interview until a bit closer to the actual release date and launch of the tour.  Well, this is close enough, the tour has started, and the album will be out in a couple of weeks. The "Lost Channels" album is still new to me, and while I do enjoy it immensely, I feel it is the start of a new chapter for GLS.  If anyone has been following Tony & Co. for the last few years - you will find that what I consider their signature sound, seems to be melding with a more modern full band approach.  This evolution of the band is often necessary to grow and this new album has shown much growth for these Canadian Icons.  Do not fret, there is still the signature hushed deliver of Dekker on many tracks (New Light, Concrete Heart) along with transitional songs (Palmistry and Everything Is Moving So Fast) to the full newer sound (She Comes To Me In Dreams and The Chorus in The Underground). The album finds great folk roots at its heart, but it brings with it the flowering of blue grass and even countrified slide guitar.  In listening, you could place the songs on different sides of the same coin (if not a vinyl release) as you might almost feel it being two EPs, fused into a full solid release.  While I will always enjoy the lone acoustic GLS, there is something to be said for the ability to flex your sound to something that might possibly "rock the house" at any specific moment.  I am sure the live show is going to be spectacular, especially for this album.  Well enough, lets hit the recording backstory then follow it with interview below! Backstory on the recording of the album: "...their fourth album set for release on March 31st, finds them once again recording at historic locations. This time in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario and New York state, telling tales of hidden histories, still "mining for light in the dark wells," still "tuned to an instrument of greater and unknown design....  Dekker chooses to record in old churches, community halls, abandoned grain silos and rural locations. It's easy to hear why. His voice doesn't need any studio embellishment, standing at its strongest when bathed in natural reverb and enriched by the historical context surrounding it." ~~ Tony Dekker Interview: Slow:  Being a Canadian Blogger, I don't consider it a label but consider it a part of my persona, do you see Great Lake Swimmers as a "Canadian Band"? TD:  I like to think there is something Canadian in what we do, especially in that a lot of the songwriting centres around themes of the natural world. I love being in Canada and living here. But I think that music and ideas don't necessarily have borders. Slow:  What was the point where you decided "This is my life, I am a musician now"? TD:  July 14th, 2008. We opened for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in Toronto, and after the show Robert Plant shook my hand and told me I had a great voice. After that I figured that I was in the right line of work. Slow:  Musically, what was the key inspiration for "Lost Channels"? TD:  I had been listening to the songs of the original Carter Family quite a bit and was fascinated by their ability to get a full idea into a 3 minute song. I wanted to use the medium of the song to try to get a concise thought in a relatively small amount of space. I wasn't always able to do that but that was one of the inspirations. Slow:  I noticed ... Canadian, Interview, MySpace, New Album no no http://slowcoustic.com/2009/03/02/the-cloud-hymn-new-album-interview/ http://slowcoustic.com/2009/03/02/the-cloud-hymn-new-album-interview/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:32:38 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=1570

The day has come (or actually tomorrow, March 3rd) and we have the release of the debut album from “The Cloud Hymn”.  I have been waiting for this album for a while now ever since I started listening to a few demos last year and was so impressed, that I had to post then…on just the demos!  Well, here we are and a full album is hitting the streets tomorrow and John Nielson and crew have not disappointed.

“A Seed Buried In The Ground” – is a gorgeous lo-fi journey.  You get an almost entirely acoustic album, with just the right amount of accent from piano, harmonies and what could only be called, the aura of the album.  This aura is one that walks the line of melancholy, darkness and hope, all while you sit there transfixed.  I find that this is the kind of album that listens just as well on play 149 as on play 3.  One look at my Last.fm stats and you know I can’t put the album down.

The demos I originally posted on are all on the final album release and are left almost untouched – they are still incredibly stunning – the kind of songs that curl you up in a ball or move you to that comforting place we all have.  While much of the album was created out of unfortunate circumstances according to Nielson, the beauty created and the music that emerges from your speakers is refreshing, honest, spiritual and could be your “touchstone” in finding where you are and then where you need to be.

The Cloud Hymn’s “line up” hasn’t changed and is still the work of its creator – John Nielson.  John gets integral assistance from two of his biggest proponents and great artists themselves – the astounding Tani Alyssa (her MySpace) and another Slowcoustic Favourite Paul Brandt (Cranes & Crows).  While the album is a top album of the year so far, with holding power, let’s hear from John and some questions on him, his music and what is happening in the local music scene around Wisconsin.

INTERVIEW:

You recently had a name change to become The Cloud Hymn, was it for specific reasons and who IS The Cloud Hymn?

I wanted to use the word hymn because the songs have a spiritual element to them and because hymn just reminded me of something that was genuine and thoughtful, in addition to being spiritual. Most the songs revolve around my relationship with God. I can’t really seem to write songs about anything else, nor is there a more meaningful or worthy subject in my opinion. I suppose I put cloud at the start of the name because most of the songs were written during times of struggle and that seemed to fit the theme.

The record and music project didn’t have a name until after we recorded it. Paul and Kyle both thought putting a name on it would be a good idea and I eventually came around to that. It’s nice to have it be its own thing and not have it be stringently tied to me as a person. The Cloud Hymn is a music project that revolves around my songs, but Tani and Paul have come to play an enormous role in the whole thing. I guess the nice about having a “band name” is that it can be whatever it needs to be.

The album name “A Seed Buried In The Ground” – is there a story behind it?

The album title comes from John 12:24. Jesus is using a parable to explain his death and explains that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it will never grow and multiply. Most of these songs were written during a somewhat dark time of my life, but in retrospect I think I realized I had to go through those things to make it to where I am now.

Who was integral to getting your debut album “A Seed Buried In The Ground” created?

I’m glad you asked this question because I owe an enormous debt to everyone involved. I really had very little to do with making this album happen. I met Paul through a friend (the two of them make up Wake Up Poland, It’s Nine O’Clock). Paul heard some demos I had up on MySpace and told Eric about the songs. Eric then talked to me and said we should record them and that he would even do it for free. The whole thing was recorded at Eric’s home studio in Eau Claire in a weekend. So we really owe Eric an enormous debt and he’s an awesome guy to work with, in addition to having an incredible recording setup. Kyle is good friends with Eric, Paul, and everyone on Amble Down and he heard the songs and offered to release it.

From that point Kyle really took over, which was such a blessing. Eric mixed the record, Zach Hanson mastered it, and Brian Moen did the artwork. Kyle arranged all that and took care of all the details (and there are a lot more details than I imagined) and Kyle continues to take of pretty much everything promotion and production wise. In the end, we wound up with a really great sounding record with amazing album art, so much more than I had ever dreamed. I never even really expected these songs to be recorded and I would have been totally lost had I attempted to do what Kyle, Eric, Paul, and all those guys have been able to do. I owe all those guys a huge debt because essentially from stage one they just took over and did everything out of their own love of music.

Your album sounds very intimate, personal – stories from one man.  Do you see yourself ever expanding TCH to a band or is it the singer-songwriter path for you?

I think it has really already become much more of a band. I don’t play solo anymore and Tani and Paul do a lot more live than on the record. Both of them play banjo, both play piano, and both sing, depending on the song. Paul also plays lap steel guitar. All that has added a lot to the sound, which we all are really pleased with. So in that respect it really has developed into a band. Tani and Paul do their own thing and write their own parts. However, I still write all the songs and kind of maintain some level of control. I guess it’s a band where I am the musical dictator, but we tend to agree on most everything. Paul and Tani both have their own songwriting projects (which are both incredible) and so that leaves The Cloud Hymn to be my thing that I am blessed to have them be a major part of. We hope to record again this coming summer and I think the next record will be much more in the vein of our live setup right now. I like things very minimal and sparse so hopefully we can find a balance where things are more textured and interesting while still retaining that simplicity.

Your Influences, name 3 bands or artists that you feel helped you define or become The Cloud Hymn.

1) All things Justin Vernon: Bon Iver, DeYarmond Edison, solo records. I could never say enough about how all that music has shaped me, musically and otherwise.
2) A band called Weatherbox always spurs me to write songs. Their album “American Art” has been in heavy rotation for the better part of the last year.
3) Paul and Tani both write great songs. They both have been writing songs and playing music a lot longer than I have and are great songwriters.

You are part of the incredible Wisconsin Indie/folk scene, with soo much great talent around – is it like a family?

Yea, in Eau Claire there is certainly a really tight knit group of people who play music and support each other. I am a pretty recent addition to that group and am lucky to have been invited into it. I met Paul (Brandt) through a friend and he asked me to play some shows with his band Cranes & Crows and that was really the start for me.

The Eau Claire scene whole scene is really interwoven. Paul plays in Merdiene which is almost the exact same lineup as Cranes & Crows, just with roles switched around. Eric Rykal, who recorded our album, is in Meridene and his project, The Gentle Guest, includes some folks in Meridene and Laarks. Laarks drummer Brian Moen did our artwork and played in DeYarmond Edison, Justin Vernon’s old band, for a while. Eric lives with Mike Noyce who now plays guitar in Bon Iver. Mike Noyce used to front a band called Fine which Paul and members of Meridene played in. Zach Hanson mastered our record and he plays bass in Laarks and drums in The Gentle Guest. Kyle Frenette, who runs Amble Down, is dear friends with everyone and manages Bon Iver. Kyle has always had a vision for Amble Down as being this medium for a bunch of musician friends to put out records. There’s infinitely more to be said, but I’m definitely not very qualified to explain it anyways. In any event, everyone is really supportive and I think great music made by great people inspires others to do the same. Or maybe there is just something in the water.

Any tours or promotion for the new album?  Any stops in Calgary, Alberta, Canada – There is a correct answer to this one ;-)?

We really want to put together a tour this summer. It will most likely be a somewhat short one around the midwest. We all have jobs and school and whatnot, but we all really want to do something this summer. I would love to come to Canada but I don’t know if that is in the cards. I’m starting to realize how many sweet bands are from Canada, as long as we’re on the subject.

Other than your own, what album are you most looking forward to seeing released?

The Daredevil Christopher Wright is releasing their album “In Deference to a Broken Back” in May. A lot of people in Eau Claire (and elsewhere) have been waiting a really long time for that record to come out and when it does it is going to be incredible. A very close second would be the Laarks record which I am going to pick up in about four days. That is going to be insanely awesome also.

There you have it, a great interview by a great artist – Thank You again to John for having his music and thoughts on Slowcoustic!  The new album once again is called “A Seed Buried In The Ground” and is available at Amble Down Records (highly recommended label with huge talent – check it out).

You can also visit The Cloud Hymn on MySpace and thier Amble Down Artist Page.

~Smansmith

~~

A Hoosier transplanted to the coal highlands of Northeast Pennsylvania, Timothy Showalter has nested in fertile musical soil. Taking cues from luminaries such as Nebraska-Era Bruce Springsteen and a burgeoning Neil Young, Showalter extends a musical gesture and searches to find modesty in the midst of confusion, addressing insecurities and settling existential debt with a simple and beautiful delivery. The personification of a Midwestern Grandfather’s advice, his songs smack with hard truth and poignant severity.

That is a bit of overview on Tim Showalter or as I and many of you know him “Strand of Oaks”.  I have been following for a while, but there was only ever a track here or there floating around and I couldn’t get enough.  Now we have something to work with in the first full album release in “Leave Ruin” that hit the streets in late January.  I have been listening non-stop since picking up a copy and immediately contacted the man himself to get him on the blog.  Well, it seems to all have worked out and we have some music and a little bit of “Q & A” for you this Monday.

“Leave Ruin” is right up the Slowcoustic alley, practically “Slowcoustic 101″.  The album is 9 tracks created with acoustics, piano, strings and a vocal delivery that floats over the farmers fields, back alleys and cross country road trips that is his music.  Lyrically there is almost a conversation, if only between one person, that tells stories of life and the beauty and heartache of those who actually live it.  As mentioned many times previously, I never believe anyone besides the actual songwriter can speak to the creative process, what we as listeners do is simply listen and grasp on to the melodies.  The melodies included on this album may just grab you first.

There are stand out tracks, including “Leave Ruin”, “Dogs of War”, “Sister Evangeline” and “Morning Worker” which are those aforementioned glimpses into lives being lived.  Regardless of if there is a winner or triumph, the story is why we are all here.  Well, enough rambling, let’s put some questions in front of the artist and see what he has to say.

Interview:

1) First off, the name, how did you become “Strand of Oaks”?

Well, here is a brief history, I guess. In fifth grade I was “The Nuclear Warheads”. It was my comic strip band. It was probably the result of post Cold War feelings. Then in six grade I formed “Freak Show”. This band really only consisted of a logo that my friend Adam drew. Then my first real band name was called “Mind Groove”. This was my electronic band. Then my in high school I had a group called “Much Needed Rest”, very emotional. Then I had a trucker band called “Brown Sugar”, or “Birthday Boy”, depending on which band member you asked. Finally, Strand of Oaks happened. My friend Josh came up with the name. Our first show was drums, echoed guitar, and me on an organ. Nobody sang, we just had a Noam Chomsky speech on 9/11 sampled, very college.

I kept writing songs and kept the band name. I’m still not sure about the name. It always makes me laugh because my songs seem to be the opposite of what the band name represents. I write all my songs alone, and usually cooped up in the smallest room I can find. Strand of Oaks always conjures up wide open fields and big skies. Maybe I might be a bit happier if I let this feeling influence me more. I think its to late to go back to Nuclear Warheads though.

2) How long have you been recording, is this album a “debut” for you?

I’ve been recording for a long time, never to the extent of Leave Ruin. I always have tried to at least document songs for posterity’s sake. I first recorded some of the songs off the record six years ago. Then I put some of the songs on a demo and took it on tours and what not. Then 3 years ago I recorded a split 7′ with my friends Dragon Turtle. But I do feel like this is my first real record, at least it feels real to me.

3) How is it playing with your label mates – I see you have had some stage time with Matt Bauer and soon with Lewis & Clarke (both Slowcoustic faves)?

I have no sense of modesty when it comes to my friends. I think they are making some of the most legitimate records out there. If you look in my car you’ll usually find all the La Soc releases being heavily listened to.

Lou (Lewis & Clarke) and I have collaborated a lot between playing shows and recording over the years. We’re both so busy it’s hard for us to get out and play shows, that’s why I’m so excited to play with them again. I feel the same way about Matt. He’s a good friend and I always wish we could play more.

4) Do you revel as a solo artist, any gravity towards a “band” to be known as Strand of Oaks?

I still haven’t quite decided if I am solo artist yet. Even when I play solo shows there is always some friend that is up there helping me out. To be honest I don’t like playing guitar live. I always want it to sound like an organ. I’ll be the first to admit that I lack a lot of chops.

The best feeling about playing with a band is that you’re supported. I love being up to divvy out responsibility to others. The songs seem more protected and solid. The more I play though I feel more and more comfortable to be by myself on stage.

5) With the album out on January 27th – what is on tap for promoting – tours, SXSW, etc?

We have all worked really hard for this and it feels so good to just enjoy the record now. I’m planning as many shows as my school schedule allows. I’ll be going out on a two week tour in April down South and the Midwest. Then there will be more once the summer comes around. I’m just in a very good place right now and feeling really positive about things so I’m really ready just to play this music as much as I can.

There you have the Interview with the very gracious and talented Tim Showalter.  I have included some live tracks and an album track for your listening.  We start out with the album version of “End in Flames” followed by a live version, then 3 more live album tracks, followed by a couple of extras!

Visit Strand of Oaks on MySpace, Label Page and Virb.  Pick up a copy of the new album on eMusic and iTunes.

~Smansmith

I do tend to visit Pitchfork on a fairly regular basis but have not gone in the last week or so.  I did swing by this weekend and found some nice surprises.  Don’t get me wrong though I do agree that there is a lot of resistance on the Pitchfork halo effect and in turn the soul crushing it can have on artists.  I mean, it is still just an indie zine that is online…right?  You would notice from my Animal Collective post below that I sometimes just don’t get their rating of albums (mostly not on their review, but personal bias).  Long story short, I found two things I liked.

~First off, the review of J. Tillman’s new album “Vacilando Territory Blues”.  7.6 is pretty good from Pitchfork and although I would have rated a bit higher because that is just me.  I have decided that I would make a horrible Pitchfork reviewer anyway, as I would only cover bands I like and they would all get ridiculously high scores.  Check out the album review in full here.

~Secondly I found a nice surprise in a live Bon Iver track.  Pitchfork led me to the Australian ABC affiliate stream of an interview that took place last week (as he is currently touring down under – check a review with video from Burgo here).  The track is a cover of Feist’s “The Park” from her Reminder album from last year and it was a favourite on the album for me.  Although I think Leslie Feist’s original is superior, Mr. Vernon’s solo effort is worth a listen.  Check out the Pitchfork Article that led to the streaming interview.  I have included a rip of the Feist cover on this post, but head over for more chit chat and a live version of “Creature Fear” as well.

~Smansmith

Well this is a bit of a treat this week on Slowcoustic – the interview post!  I was lucky enough to get some questions in with John Statz below and now I actually have a follow up to my Blackbird Harmony post (and sister post here) with, you guessed it – some interview questions!  Even Birdsong has been kind enough to offer some insight to my rather quaint questions.

Since the post, you might have seen some additional follow up on some of our great blog counterparts Here and Here.  Word is getting out, so I feel this post is needed – great music, great guy and nice little interview below.

1) Why Blackbird Harmony? Does it represent anything or did it just sound like the music?

Rather use just my name, I felt it was important to recognize the contributions of the other musicians on the records. Blackbird Harmony was a way to incorporate my family name while acknowledging the others involved.

2) The state of the “Record Business” these days, easier to get started, but harder to get noticed?

The internet has certainly made it a lot easier for bands to get started and get their material out there, but in the process I think it has made listeners more apprehensive. Folks seem to enter into new musical relationships with their eyes shut. Of course, the internet has also limited the avenues in which a musician can earn a living. I personally am not bothered by folks downloading my records online or burning copies for their friends. A listener is a listener. At the same time, I appreciate that my label has to make money in order to keep releasing music. At the end of the day, a good song will prevail. Fortunately, the state of the music business has no bearing on that.

3) Who influences you in your music?

My reading time was split between my divorce papers, Breece D’J Pancake and Larry Brown when I wrote the last record. I was listening to a lot of George Jones, Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, Tammy Wynette, Faron Young, Doc Watson and Ralph Stanley. At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve always been a big Samhain/Danzig fan. My wife has been a big influence on the stuff I’m writing now.

4) Biggest milestone in your career as an artist?

Not really a milestone, but I was glad to get another chance to work with my friends from EHS (1100 Springs) and grateful to Mara for taking time away from the new Bosque Brown record to sing a few tunes with me. What I am most appreciative of, however, is that Morgan King from Yer Bird Records took the time to pull my demos out of a huge stack of submissions and give them a listen. If it weren’t for Morgan, I’d have a freezer full of deer meat instead of all these new songs.

5) What is the next thing on tap? New album?

There are a few new band members – Aryn Dalton on drums and Jim Case on pedal steel. They are great musicians and available for shows, which is always a big plus. I’ve got about half a record written (shooting for a Fall 2009 release), a few of the songs we’ve been playing live, and I’ve also been toying with a third novel but that is always a slow process.

6) Reagan or Clinton?

Music and politics, for me, have always been like oil and water. I’m not interested in what musicians have to say about really anything other than music. Nor do I generally make a habit of soliciting medical advice from auto mechanics. But if you’re fishing, I’ll bite. I’d have to reluctantly say Clinton. I’m not a huge fan of the ironically named NAFTA, but he sure seemed to put us in a better position economically than the current administration. I tend to be conflicted when it comes down to political parties. I was born and raised in Texas. I’m an avid gun enthusiast. I like to hunt and fish. I’m opposed to underaged girls and boys playing adult games without adult consequences. I don’t consider everyone who disagrees with me politically a racist and yet I give a damn about the environment and the financial future of the middle class. Call me crazy.

Just as we all know that this is a musis blog, let’s throw you all another great demo that is listed from Blackbird Harmony’s “Hardwood Exits” album, but doesn’t actually appear on the release!  The track is Lionel Ritchie’s 1984′s classic ballad “Hello” – only preformed folk noir!!

Be sure to pick up a copy of Evan’s work over on Yerbird – better yet, join their Aviary and with that get all 3 Blackbird Harmony releases “Angels With Outstretched Hands”, “Hardwood Exits” and “Hardwood Exits Demos”.

~Smansmith

I find myself in a bit of bounty of good music lately – I know, there are worse things, but it can be overwhelming.  You end up listening to soo much that it is hard to actually listen, I mean really listen.  This is why I am posting on John Statz – I had a bit of an Americana fix that I had to feed for the last couple of weeks and this young singer-songwriter is one of the remedies to what ailed me.

John Statz is a Wisconsin native playing some folk country music that I have had a hankering for lately.  I immediately jumped to his EP from last year as “Our Love was Made for Canada” is something I can get behind, being Canadian and all!  Outside of my country pride, this EP is a fantastic mellow trip into the depths of his talent.  Well, I shouldn’t get ahead of myself, you should actually start with his debut album “Dusk Came Slow” from 2006 which I must say is a great debut.  This album has garnered Statz some praise as being The Madison Area Music’s “Best Folk/Americana Album” of 2007 (actually with his 2006 release, I guess).  I must say, for only being in his early 20′s, the sound and maturity of these songs really is a refreshing surprise and I am glad it is getting noticed.

Another area that struck me for this young artist is his push for local Wisconsin talent to get out there and to get noticed.  He leads “Old Pete Booking” which is in place to assist in getting the music to the people.  The people who might not normally get a chance to see this talent outside of the local venues and watering holes.

A Slowcoustic first here – I had a chance for a bit of “Q & A” with John, see below for the interview;

1.)  What moved you to being a folk artist?

As soon as I started playing guitar at age 15 all I really wanted to do was sing along with it, so I started with songs like Bush’s “Glycerine” or Nirvana’s “Polly”.  In college I really began to delve into songwriters like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Jeffrey Foucault, and Gillian Welch.  The stripped down songs of, say, Welch’s “Revelator” album or Dylan’s “Freewheelin’” really spoke to me, and solidified me in the songwriter camp.  Also, a fellow Wisconsin songwriter named Jeffrey Foucault (who has become my folk-hero) inspired me more with every performance I attended.

2.)  With the internet these days – is it easier to get started, but difficult to get noticed?

I think that the internet makes it easier on every front for musicians to directly reach fans.  It cuts out the middlemen, record labels aren’t a necessity anymore.  It also makes promotion a lot easier.  If I have 40 “friends” on myspace from Pittsburgh, and I play a show there, I can send out a bulletin to let them know I’m coming through, and a good number of them may come out.  I’ve also stayed in touch directly with many fans that have come out to shows in the past and have developed a friendship with.

3.)  I see you are a huge supporter of your local Wisconsin talent – in this difficult market, why focus on “the many” instead of your own advancement?

There is a lot of great talent in Wisconsin worth supporting, I believe that our state has a great tradition of songwriters.  The more well-known guys are people like Willy Porter, Peter Mulvey, and Jeffrey Foucault.  I like to think that there is now a “second generation” of Wisconsin folksingers like myself that are making names for themselves, songwriters like Josh Harty, Blake Thomas, Jeremiah Nelson (of Patchwork), Hayward Williams, and we’ve just seen Bon Iver blow up nationally.  I don’t think Wisconsin is a difficult market, it has a number of cities within that are great for live music (with the capital of Madison leading the way), and I think that it is important to work with everyone because we can do more together than alone.  In fact, I book shows sometimes for Josh and Jeremiah.  I think it is to our advantage to promote Wisconsin as an area full of strong songwriters, rather than to send just one of them out as proof to the nation.

4.)  You sound beyond your years, who has influenced you and your sound as an artist?

Thank you for that compliment, I have been influenced by many old-time musicians such as the Carter Family (grew up listening to them via my dad), Woody Guthrie, Elizabeth Cotten, Mississippi John Hurt, and Hank Williams.  Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt have probably influenced me more than anyone with regards to lyrical content, and I constantly return to their material for learning.  Newer artists like Ryan Adams, Gillian Welch, and Iron & Wine have inspired me with how they continue to experiment and take folk music beyond three chords on an acoustic guitar.

5.)  What is next for John Statz (touring Canada??)

Next I will be doing my first “Train Tour” of the east coast.  I’ll be taking the train from Chicago to Philadelphia, and then joining a friend of mine who lives in Delaware named Kyle Swartzwelder.  We’ll be driving around and playing some shows in western Pennsylvania, New York City, and New Jersey, before I take the train back home.  I’ll probably head out west to Colorado in March, and I’m hoping to make it to Canada real soon!  The only problems with touring Canada are the visa requirements, and as someone who does all my own booking, that adds more headache to the process.  I love Canada, though, and have been there many times recently, visiting Montreal, New Brunswick, and Niagara Falls, so I am hoping to come through with my guitar soon!  I did actually play one show when I was in Fredericton, New Brunswick a few years ago, but shhhh, don’t tell the authorities, I didn’t have a visa!

You will find a lot of reference to Jeffrey Foucault in descriptions (and by himself above) for the feel and sound of John Statz, maybe we are listening to the next Foucault – you decide.  I have a few tracks for you that span the last few years and releases from Statz, one from his debut in 2006, follow up EP in 2007 and latest live release this year.

~Smansmith