One of my favourite groups… doing an amazing rendition of the evolution of music. Enjoy
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Feeling a little Emo is Luciar’s third album. This was my first exposure to her material and I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained. There are some albums you understand after the first pass…not this one.
The arrangements are complex and intriguing. The manner in which Luciar playfully vocalizes is very emotionally stimulating. The piano is so expressive and dances rhythmically. Production and selection of supporting instrumentation is exquisite. I can appreciate why Luciar has been compared to Tori Amos…but this accomplished singer-songwriter definitely has her own unique style. Very difficult to say but I would say my favourite track is UP.
http://www.luciar.com/
http://soundcloud.com/lucytoon/only-love
What does the title Feeling a little Emo mean?
It’s something we say at home. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a few years ago, and it’s been quite a road to formulate a different lifestyle, and be accepting of days when my body is unable to keep up with daily activities. I’d start berating myself for these things, and get really down about it, so my husband would jokingly ask, “why you gotta be so emo?” It was a silly reminder that my mind was sinking into a gloomy state, but that it was exactly that: my mind.
What was your objective for this album? From an emotional and business perspective?
More than anything, catharsis. Music has a way of healing the busiest of minds.
The timing of the album didn’t quite work out the way I wanted it to–it was supposed to be released earlier in the year and I was going to go on tour for a bit. But, that’s not what happened and now I’m expecting a child in December so traveling is out of the question at the moment. I’m hoping to get a few tunes licensed for Film/TV.
You self produced your last album, did you produce this one?
I did! It was an amazing challenge that brought simultaneous bouts of joy and frustration.
How do remain as objective as possible during the production process?
Taking the time to step away was essential, especially when I felt frustration coming on. During the mixing process though, I brought in an extra set of trained ears to give me feedback. I’m so grateful that Jon Dayton took the time to be so thorough!
What was the recording process like? Were the piano and vocals done separately? Over what period of time did you write the material?
I recorded a bed of scratch vocals and piano first, then constructed the bass and drums foundation. Next, was the final piano track and any embellishing tracks that tickle throughout tune. Vocals are always last for me.
With the exception of “Deadly Precious” and “Let It Pass”, the songs were written in a year.
You are pretty social media savvy, how has this helped you to introduce your music to a variety of listeners?
The biggest return I’ve experienced on social media has been after joining the GoGirls. With our weekly chats, I’ve gotten to meet a whole collective of new folks and have gotten opportunities to spread my music from their passing on my info or from performances associated with them.
Your style has been describe as baroque, jazz & piano…I get a musical theatre vibe from your material. Have you ever thought of creating a musical score for the theatre?
Not really. Although, a few people have told me how my albums “Skin” and “Feeling A Little Emo” should have a play associated with them. I find that interesting.
You have been compared to Tori Amos, is she an inspiration? If so why?
Tori Amos was a major inspiration when I was in high school and college. Her music helped me get out of my shell when it came to expressing myself. It felt like an invitation to be unafraid and to let go.
Your performance is very emotional, how do you channel your energy to communicate so expressively?
Thank you! I try to be very present with each song when I perform it. Channeling the moment and emotion I had when the song was written. Sometimes that backfires a bit, and makes me a little weepy which can get in the way of singing.
What is your musical training? What instruments do you play?
I play piano and ukulele. I was partly self-taught and classically trained on the piano, and received a few lessons on the ukulele. Vocals have been self-developed as well. I majored in music composition and production in college.
The arrangements are rather complex on this project, did you have any help from the other musicians on the project?
I composed, arranged and played everything, except for the clarinet in “Only Love”. I found the fabulous clarinet player, Mitch Endick on Craigslist. He was great!
How do you measure success of performance or a project?
That’s a tough one. At a performance, it’s very much about the feedback you get from your audience. If you feel they were with you hanging onto every word you sing, then you know you did it right. For a project (in this case, an album), it gets a bit dicey because you don’t always get feedback from the people who listen. But if I can listen to my album and feel like I captured the raw emotion and mood of a song in the recording, then I feel like I won.
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Hope & Other Sins is Andrea England’s sophomore release. Produced in Nashville by Colin Linden (Bruce Cockburn, Colin James, Stephen Fearing), and featuring such special guest musicians as Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Liz Rodrigues, Gordie Sampson and Damhnait Doyle. This album is notable for its impeccable rhythm section and harmonic melodic guitar riffs paired with reeling organ wails. Vocally Andrea delivers soft breathy arias expounding on lyrically charged frames of reference. The depth of songwriting is monumental and is augmented by Linden’s cohesive production. Hope & Other Sins is a body of work worthy of the many accolades it has garnished to date. In my interview with Andrea she shared the importance of being an authentic artist. She stated, “I don’t have to rehearse being honest”. When prodded why she is not more revealing about herself in a social media climate that demands more private confessions? Andrea conveyed she wants the attention to be directed at her songs. Writing songs that are truthful is her number one priority.
Interview:
What instruments do you play and how do they inspire your creative process of songwriting?
I play acoustic guitar & piano. When I write songs on guitar, an initial progression or melody will either inspire a lyric, or remind me of one I have waiting in the wings. I usually write at the piano when I have a ballad idea to work out.
Over what period of time did you write or co-write the songs for Hope & Other Sins? You have some impressive co-writes on the album. Do you find two minds better than one or is it hard work coming to a creative consensus?
About 6 years; it wasn’t until I wrote “Trying” that I knew I wanted to make another record, and “Laundry” sealed the deal.
RE: co-writing. When I start out writing a song for myself, I have very specific idea about what I want to say – and I’m always by myself, so consensus is not an issue. Usually, I’ll finish it right then and there if I can; but sometimes, part way through the writing of it, the perfect cowrite situation comes up organically, or I know just who to call to bring a particular musical aesthetic to the tune. “Hothouse Flower” is a good example of that on this record; I’d written the verses, and showed them to my buddy, Hill Kourkoutis, who I knew would dig the story and understand musical vibe it required. She loved it, and so we finished the chorus lyric and music together.
That being said, there are also songs on my record on which I fully co-wrote lyrics, melodies, & music with my co-writers from the start: in fact, “Lonely” and “Learn to Dance” started out in sessions where we were writing songs to pitch to other artists; but at the end of the day, I liked and related to the songs so much that I recorded them for this record.
In those cases, consensus is not hard to obtain either: with co-writers like Liz, Luke, Stuart, Hill, Rob and the rest of the folks on this record, we have a shared goal of finding and writing someone’s relatable truth, and we work in an environment of mutual respect. The best, most honest idea always wins – and when we hear it, it’s obvious.
Colin Linden is an amazingly gifted producer and musician. Were you at all intimidated by his breadth of knowledge during working with him on the album? Was there anything that you learned during the production process?
Yes, he is; and I was a little intimidated, but he immediately put me at ease. He’s a recording artist himself – not just a producer/musician – so he understood my vulnerability (and my having been on the other side of the mic for so long, writing for others). At the end of the day, I had confidence in the my songs and in the authentic emotion I could bring; and so did he.
Learning is a never-ending process.
After you have created such a masterful piece of production on an album, what do you do to reproduce this sound live without aid all the production tricks? Will you be touring this album? Solo or with a live band?
I had the honour to work with some great musicians on this record, and I would love the opportunity to perform with any or all of them again: but with some in the US and some in Canada, and all of them busy with their own projects/touring/etc., I’ll have to put a new touring band together. As an indie solo artist, though, touring extensively with a full band is not a very financially viable option, so I’ll probably go out as a duo or trio most of the time, and pepper that where possible with full band shows.
Hope & Other Sins is an eloquent title. It is hard to think of Hope being a sin or indulgence, can you expand on your perspective of Hope being anything but a state of elevation or benevolence?
Thanks!
The cynics among us often write off “hope” – and the appearance of being hopeful – as unrealistic, immaterial, and naive; and the the political right would have you believe that the power of “hope” is waning…but I think that that is complete nonsense: without hope, there can be no progress, no reason to do anything.
After a period of watching and reading what felt like an extended period of even greater than usual negativity on TV and in the papers, someone asked me what the record would be about and I heard myself saying “hope & other sins.” It was so right it just stuck.
How do you engage your audience on stage or in social media domains? How much of your “real” self are you willing to share?
Whether it be on stage, or in social media, I’m willing to share the stories of my songs and my opinions on some things, especially to support people or causes I believe in, or to connect with or thank people who support/like my music. There’s no simple hard and fast line: it really depends on who is asking, and in what context.
You took a break between this album and your last, how long do you think this project will remain in the consciousness of the public? What can you do as an artist to ensure you have an extended stay before your next creative adventure?
Once you release a song or a record, all you can do is as much as you can..and then the rest is up to the Universe. I don’t make records to stay in the public eye; I make records when the songs tell me it’s time. When I wrote “Picture of You,” and then “Drive” I knew I’d put them on my own record one day; but when I wrote “Trying,” I knew it was time.
Do you have any regrets about your chosen profession as a songwriter?
Not a single one.
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Skyline is Shawna Caspi’s third recording venture. Recorded, played on, and produced by Jason LaPrade (Jon Brooks, Tucker Finn), the album also features Murray Foster, Adam Warner, Joel Schwartz, Anne Davison, Rosemary Phelan, and Anne Lindsay. Production has exquisite folk quartets comprised of guitar, dobro, violin and cello cascading through airy melodies. A trilogy of the mandolin, guitar and dobro was also transcendental. Shawna’s vocal stylings are that of sultry lyrical raps with dulcet overtones. An album highlight is her masterly fingerstyle guitar playing. Shawna Caspi is the Pablo Picasso of songwriting. Her songwriting is tangential, with bursts of abstract streams of consciousness focused on telling stories without missing out on intricate details. Listening to Skyline was like taking the time to appreciate the bouquet of a fine wine. One might find themselves lusting for more distinct choruses with trendy repetitive frameworks. Shawna Caspi is an indie artist dedicated to sharing her bounty of artistic creations to welcoming audiences.
Interview
This is your third recording venture. How have you matured as an Artist/Songwriter?
My first CD was a tiny 4-song demo that was graciously recorded by my buddy Laurence Stevenson at the CBC in order to help me get something on disc that I could use to try and get more gigs. My second CD, recorded and produced by the fabulous Dylan Bell, was really a collection of every song I really liked that I had written so far. In the case of Skyline, my new release, I had the opportunity to really curate the album and the advantage of more years of practice and live playing to strengthen the songs. I think my guitar-playing and singing has gotten a lot better over the years. The songwriting on Skyline is more poetic and artful than previous releases, but in my songwriting going forward, I’m trying to keep that artistic quality, while implementing more structure and repetition in my writing (funny you should notice that about the writing on Skyline – I’ve noticed it too!)
What is the primary theme/message of Skyline?
There’s a thread that runs through the album about city life vs country life, contrasting cold, hard concrete, and luscious fields and skies. It also tries to highlight little moments and make them big and weighty.
Jason Laprade is quite a gifted producer/engineer/instrumentalist. What was the Production process like for you? Over what time frame was the project written and recorded?
It was a pleasure and an honour to work with Jason. I had all the songs written before I approached him – I knew I wanted to record a new CD, but I didn’t know who I wanted to work with. After hearing Jason’s work on Jon Brooks’ spectacular “Moth Nor Rust”, I knew I wanted my recording to sound like THAT – really close up and intimate. Jason was a meticulous note-taker, which delighted me. I never had to worry about keeping track of everything because he was taking care of all the details. He’s a super nice guy and we had a lot of fun in studio. In particular, Jason had an arsenal of hugely talented session musicians that he unleashed on this project. Some of the best days in the studio were those sessions where I sat back and listened to a tremendous musician work their own magic on my tracks. The project took about a year to complete from start to finish. The recording process was a little more drawn out than we expected, but only as a result of our own changing schedules and touring commitments and those of the session musicians.
You are quite an accomplished guitarist. How long have you been playing? Are you self-taught?
Thanks for the kind words! I’ve been playing the guitar for about 15 or 16 years now. I took classical guitar lessons for about 6 years and then when I went to university, I studied with flamenco guitarist Roger Scannura for a year, where we also did a lot of exploration of alternate tunings and folk guitar picking patterns. Since then, I’ve continued to experiment with alternate tunings and fingerstyle guitar playing.
What are the challenges that you face being an Indie Artist?
I’m finding that the biggest challenge these days is finding the time to do everything, and needing to think in several different kinds of timelines – I need to rehearse for the gig on Saturday, but I need to promote the gig that’s a month from now, but I should also be booking a tour for next spring, and oh yeah, did I reserve that train ticket for the show coming up, and don’t forget the upcoming grant deadline, etc. etc. The busier I get, the more trouble I’ve having managing all that. But unfortunately I can’t yet afford to have someone help me with it. It’s hard when the actual writing and music-playing part of the job seems like such a small chunk of it.
Have social media platforms helped you to reach out to your supporters?
Absolutely. Facebook has been useful to provide an ongoing connection with supporters and to keep them updated, as has my e-newsletter. YouTube is great for its searchability and shareability.
What percentage of time do you spend marketing yourself?
If that includes marketing myself to presenters as well as audiences, I’d say somewhere between half and three-quarters of all the time I spend on music. I feel like I’m constantly writing emails.
You have received many accolades from presenters for your live performances. How do you engage your audience?
I like to tell stories while I’m tuning between songs (many tunings and only one guitar means a lot of tuning time on stage). I try to know what’s going on around me in whatever place I’m playing in and I try to understand what’s unique about that audience and the context of that particular show. Sometimes I ask the audience questions. I’m a big fan of singalong songs too.
What is next for you as an Artist/Songwriter?
I’m currently on tour around southern Ontario for a few weeks. Then I’ll be hitting up the OCFF conference in October (I’m running for a position on the OCFF board this year). Then I’m doing a bit of touring in Newfoundland in November and I hope I can really get down to more writing come winter.
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Letters Home is Amy Campbell’s sophomore album. Produced by Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith, The Rheostatics, Karyn Ellis). This is one of those albums worth listening to with lyrics in hand. Each track exudes subtle production nuances that take the listener on a rhythmic harmonic journey. Personal favourite was the pairing of the harmonica and pedal steel which sounded celestial. Letters Home has an intimate strong theme. A longing for a time past, but knowing that in order to pursue self actualization one has to break away from what is familiar. It is reflective in nature. Imagine glancing at the rear view mirror, while trying to stay focused on the road ahead. Amy’s vocal delivery is strong and captivating. Her command of her guitar admirable. At times there was something mesmerizing about the rhythmic choices that would be hypnotic almost to the point of being distracting from the lyrical focus. The songwriting on Letters Home garnishes stellar marks. “Ohio bleeds into Kentucky” had me referencing google to check the lyric legitimacy. It is quite apparent from my interview with Amy Campbell that she is the embodiment of a true artist in the pursuit of excellence. She has managed to master her own indie domain.
Here is our interview:
What does being home sick mean to you?
It means different things depending on which home I’m thinking about… Sometimes it’s a fond remembrance of landscape, a longing for familiar shores. When I’m tired it’s about laying my head on my own pillow and waking up to familiar sounds and breakfast smells… When things are hectic it’s about longing for simpler times. On Holidays it’s about nostalgia for family traditions.
Do you believe in having a soul mate or a life long commitment?
Yep. I am nothing if not a hopeless romantic.
What was your process for writing this album? Any co-writes?
No co-writes. I used to write occasionally with a partner when I was starting out, but for the most part I write solo. This collection of songs were just sort of gathered in the period following my last release in 2008. Going through the process of the last record as it crested and ebbed gave me a sort of cyclical perspective on album-making as a project, and from there I created and collected a series of snippets and snapshots of lives as they changed and evolved. I incorporated a couple of experiments with form (Gasoline), learned to play harmonica, and (as always) helped myself to a healthy dose of fiction to create a cohesive cycle of songs.
Production: How involved were you in the process… What was your relationship like with the band/producer/ How long did it take you to track/mix
We spent a month or so down in Don Kerr’s studio to record and mix. All the songs were recorded live off the floor. There’s the occasional after-the-fact addition by one of the special guests, but the bulk of what you hear is live. Don engineered, played percussion and did the mixing, Ben Whitely played upright bass – that was the foundation of each song.
The relationship between Don (as producer) and me was basically a dream come true. In the past I’d been reluctant to work with a producer; I’d seen so many of my fellow songwriters – especially women – take their songs into studios and have their sound basically paved over by generic, heavy-handed production. But I heard a couple of albums Don produced for some friends of mine and I was blown away. He had this way of accenting and drawing out the special, unique qualities of these gentle, quirky songwriters to make something beautiful, light, clean and skillful. Working together was fun, easy and collaborative from start to finish – it really felt like two people bringing complementary skills together and stirring the pot until the best ideas rose to the surface. Don’s skill as an engineer is astounding, all I had to worry about was turning in a good performance.
Would you do anything different? How do you know when it is time to let go and give birth to a project?
I honestly wouldn’t do anything different, it was wonderful. A fun, collaborative, immersive process that really brought out the best in every player and every song.
I went to art school, and so the question of “when things are done” is something I give a lot of thought to. There’s a fine art of knowing when to stop… it really does just come down to the gut. Over the years I’d like to think my guesses in this regard have become slightly more educated!
By the time we were nearing the end, Don and I had developed a level of trust that made it completely comfortable for me to take his perspective on things like my vocal performances, things that my self-consciousness could interfere with.
There were also logistical factors: My FACTOR funding covered a certain number of days in the studio, so we had to create a time-budget. Don is quite experienced with this sort of process and I had a clear sense of where I wanted the songs to go and how I wanted them to feel, so we were able to predict pretty accurately how to budget our time. The process never felt rushed, which was wonderful!
What is now? What is next? Do you worry about retirement?
Now I drag myself around to wherever I can find an audience of people open to listening and I play for them! July and August has been a whirlwind of the release, so I’m about to enter a planning phase. I do most everything myself, so things happen one-at-time. This tends to mean a slower process in general, but that’s okay. I’m in it for the long haul, and a slow burn means good things for my longevity as an artist.
I don’t worry about retirement – I don’t think I’ll ever retire! My practice as an artist has grown and changed over the years – both to adapt to my life circumstances and as my interests have changed… I expect that will just continue.
DIY? How is it working for you? Are you proud of being indie? What are the challenges?
There are lots of challenges to being indie, mostly that boil down to number of hours in the day. I’d love to be able to delegate more tasks to people who are better at it than I am (publicity, booking, accounting, etc.) but unfortunately that’s not been an option. I do take pride in having achieved what I have on my own but my indie status isn’t a principled stand, it’s just the reality…
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jane Harbury and her staff, particularly Jennifer Eisler, on publicity for the release and it’s been absolutely wonderful. Not only do they do a really good job on some very time-consuming tasks, but I’ve really enjoyed the sense of comfort and relief that comes along with having someone in your corner. “Letters Home” is the first project I’ve done that’s been lucky enough to get funding both to create and then again to promote, and it’s been a fantastic way to work. I’ll definitely pursue this model again, whatever artistic endeavour comes next!
Social Media? Who is your target audience? Marketing: Why no facebook page? More current Youtube videos/video blogs… More photos? ? blog on website? Are you tagging videos in soundcloud?
I do actually have a facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/therealamycampbell – but maybe it’s hard to find?
This comes back to what I was saying earlier – it all boils down to hours in the day. I could easily spend 8 hours a day manoeuvring myself through social media sites, and I’m sure that would bring new listeners to my music, sure. But then when am I booking and promoting shows? When am I researching performance opportunities? Keeping up on my emails? Practicing voice lessons? Actually picking up an instrument? Eating a meal with my wife?
I do what I can with facebook, twitter… I have a blog on tumblr, a soundcloud page, post pretty frequently on instagram… (I’m exhausted just thinking about it!) Like most people, I spend way too much time as it is staring at the laptop and not nearly enough looking at the world around me, much less practicing and developing the thing all this is ostensibly in aid of : my craft as a musician, songwriter and performer.
In the end, I just take the energy and time I have and divide it between the things I need to do and the resulting patchwork has been my career – which, I must say, has left me feeling lucky, privileged and loved over the last 15 years. There are always a hundred things I could be doing and only two or three I actually can be, but when I pull back and look at the big picture – I spend my life doing what I love, connecting with wonderful people, travelling, and working on my own terms. How great is that? I could go crazy thinking about all the things I could have, should have or might have to have done to have a bigger audience, or I could enjoy what I’m doing and be grateful for the audience I have. Early on I probably spent a lot of time doing the former, but now I’m managing to spend more and more time doing the latter, and life is a much better place as a result.
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A message to motivate the masses. A voice in the wilderness calling out for change.
Everyone leaves a footprint.
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