Carving Canyons

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L: I’ve done a few little one-offs – I was able to go over to the UK last spring and did, like, three shows, and I did a couple shows this summer in Norway.

The flowers take on different meanings from verse to verse as Lissie approaches the history of the relationship from different angles. Of course, like pretty much every person, I adore her, and I think she’s just amazing, and I love her style and her voice. I think that I, like a lot of artists and people – it took me a good six months, and I didn’t start writing until November of 2020. And so I think that thing of just, take it day by day, give it time, that old cliche “Time heals all wounds. With references ranging from Fleetwood Mac and Florence + the Machine to Bon Iver, it’s her most emotionally resonant and personal record.

I think some of my neighbors think I’m kinda nutso, but it’s more I’m working for the land than it’s working for me. The title alone of highlight “Night Moves” — a moody tune with an exciting driving rhythm — will have you itching to put on the Bob Seger song of the same name. Unlock the Chains” is a rocker with a bit of fresh perspective – “Everything I thought I knew about what I want, it might not be true. With that song, Natalie, since she’s just an incredible crafter of songs, really had brought a title and a shape with her to the session, so I was able to sort of fill in the blanks alongside her via FaceTime to make the story work for me.

Once the song comes out the other side, it belongs to the listener, Writing with people, it was also healing to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, YOU felt this way. I didn’t have to make a big to-do, I was just in Nashville, and my producer [Curt Schneider] had come from LA to get some vocals. I’d plant radish seeds, and maybe five of them would pop up in the same little spot, and four of them would have to go, and I was, “Oh my god, which one can stay, and which one has to go? And then I think, even just the last two years, being such a break, that even without touring I’m getting busy. Minnesota Public Radio], which is up in the Twin Cities, my closest city to where I live – I listen to a lot of The Current, and they’re playing a lot of Maggie Rogers, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett.But I think feeling your emotions is just such a theme of the album – I’m allowed to hurt – because you can’t go around it, you can’t skip it, you’ve gotta feel the feelings. I think it’s just sort of been this subconscious nudge that’s happened over the years, because of comparisons.

Help us continue to keep our web content free and accessible to all – without paywalls or invasive pop-up ads. We carry a broad range of CDs and vinyl (7”/12” singles and LPs) and specialise in indie, alternative, rock, punk, metal plus a few other genres. Carving Canyons is her latest studio album, following on from 2018 hit Castles and the re-release of previous material last year. Because I just felt, not only my breakup, but just the pain in the world and the isolation, seeing other people’s pain and politics – everything was just so, so intense.

L: Yeah and, I mean, talk about working with a total legend – she’s written some of the best songs ever!