WITH a sweet, hook-laden but straighter country-pop number, “Modern Woman”, dropping last month, Nashville’s Erin Rae has revealed a more gossamer, delicate psych-folk side to her forthcoming third album in the lighter-than-air “Candy & Curry”, sprinkled with a little retro synth and possessed of a real Margo Guryan harmonic feel; you can swoon for that herein.
Both songs reveal a little about the country you’ll be riding through if you’re tempted into the sounds of her third album, Lighten Up, out come February, and preceded by a short run of European dates – for more on both, read on.
Time and tide, no man, &c; it’s actually been three years since the release of her last album, Putting On Airs, since when Erin’s mostly been on the road, performing at Newport Folk and Red Rocks, sharing stages with Iron & Wine, Jason Isbell, Jenny Lewis, Hiss Golden Messenger and Father John Misty. Until early last year, of course.
Lighten Up comes with production overseen by no lesser a light of Americana than Topanga Canyon’s Jonathan Wilson, and weaves together a country aesthetic and pop sensibilities.
Erin says of the new record and its process: ”Leading up to making the record I was incredibly into Bobbie Gentry’s records, her upfront vocal, and beautiful classic instrumentation with some of the more cinematic recordings of Scott Walker, and I wanted it to feel like me.
“Jonathan and I had shared songs back and forth leading up to it, and for the most part I wanted to remain open to what would arise once we got in the room together.”
A little cracker of 21st-century Americana, “Candy & Curry” concerns awakening and being centred in the present moment.
Erin says of the track: “’Candy & Curry’ is essentially a meditation, capturing those early spring days of slowing down in the pandemic.
“I was living in my friend Taylor’s beautiful, rustic cabin in Madison, Tennessee and we were just cooking and hanging with the animals, and going for lots of walks. Especially then, with touring off the table, there was no choice really but to slow down and reflect.
“I wrote this song in the kitchen, made a four-track demo on my Tascam, and Jonathan took those thoughts and expanded them into this magical, trippy, and full sound with Jake Blanton on bass, Drew Erickson playing piano, solina, clavinet, harpsichord, and arranging strings. Jonathan was on drums, and running the Rhythm Ace.
“Writing this was no doubt inspired by many hours of listening to the songs of Andre Ethier and Nashville artists Good Buddy and Lambchop. It’s one of my favourites.”
Erin also has a few shows coming up early in the new year supporting North Carolina’s Watchhouse, who you may be more familiar with as Mandolin Orange; those dates are as follows. Get your tickets here.
Monday, January 17th, Amsterdam, Amstelkerk (sold out);
Tuesday, January 18th, Hamburg, Nochtspeicher;
Wednesday, January 19th, Stockholm, Bryggarsalen;
Thursday, January 20th, London, Hoxton, Courtyard Theatre, and
Friday, January 21stm as part of the Celtic Connections series at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Erin Rae’s Lighten Up will be released digitally, on CD and on opaque jade vinyl by Thirty Tigers on February 4th; order yours here.
Connect with Erin elsewhere online at her website and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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