Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Carla J. Easton is no stranger to creating bold new music. Under the guise of Ette, she released her critically-acclaimed debut Homemade Lemonade in 2016. Before that, she was part of singalong indie pop group TeenCanteen. Now, under her own name, she’s releasing her second solo offering, Impossible Stuff.
The record has been produced by Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Leonard Cohen and British Sea Power), and was recorded in stereo in Montreal at the world-renowned HOTEL2TANGO studios, with an array of talented folk, including Fats Kaplin (Jack White/Beck), Mishka Stein (Patrick Watson Band) and Rishi Dhir (Elephant Stone/Mien).
The album officially launches on 6 October via Olive Grove Records, and was supported by Creative Scotland and Help Musicians UK. We caught up with Carla to find out about the process of making the record, and her varied musical career so far.
I think Impossible Stuff is the record I've been wanting to make for years - arranging string and brass sections, double drums and choirs, generating and creating a rich full sound, allowing songs to manifest live on the recording studio floor and develop and fully form whilst working with Howard.
I'm a big believer in not overthinking or over-rehearsing a song before you record it. That way, you let all the musicians involved go with their gut instinct when recording and – hopefully - capture the energy, essence and moment when it all comes together.
I think of the studio as one big sonic playground and love exploring the collection of instruments there or musicians available to work on a piece. I don't worry about how to recreate a record live - I think of the two as two separate entities. I just want to fully realise the thoughts and ambitions I have in my head for each song and arrangement.
In terms of lyric content - I think this is the first record where I haven't censored myself. A lot of the content is based on lucid dreaming, or revisiting things that have happened to me in my life, and giving an honest account of how I am feeling about those events after some time has passed.
There is a lot of insecurity in there, and I think that's OK. I hope I have left enough room for other people to relate to my songs and stories, so it's not just listened to as the diary entries of someone still figuring out how everything in life works together.
I was lucky to be selected to take part in the inaugural Singer Songwriter Residency at The Banff Centre For Arts and Creativity in March 2017. The two weeks there changed my life. I left with 23 new friends and alliances and a much-needed boost to continuing to make music. I was reminded how much I love writing, singing and playing the piano in spite of my often-self-deprecating attitude to all that I do.
During the residency I got to record two tracks with Howard Bilerman. We spoke over breakfast about our mutual love of George Harrison, old Mono recordings and Phil Spector. I also met Brett, Jesse and Kev during that residency who would go on to be session musicians on my album, though they are much more than that - they are family and best friends.
When I got back to Scotland after the residency, we all kept in touch. I sent Howard some of my records and he said why don't I come over to do a full album. Without thinking about it I said yes. I'm from Carluke and growing up always felt a bit awkward and isolated spending all my money on records or going to gigs where I could.
When I was studying Art at Edinburgh College of Art between 2003-2007 Arcade Fire's debut album came out and became the soundtrack to many of our late wine-stained nights. For the person who produced that seminal album to invite me to do an album with him really blew me away and left me massively overwhelmed. But also, excited.
It does differ, and I think the big part of doing solo material is that I now think about other instrumentation with a song. It's not just piano and synth parts. I hear drums or string parts or brass arrangements. I hear harmonies. So, the demos became fuller.
When you are in a band, it's a democracy and you each contribute your own idea to a song. The songs I was making for what would be my first solo album ('Homemade Lemonade' under the alias Ette) just didn't feel like TeenCanteen. I went to the Banff Residency not fully sure or aware of what I would write when there, but it became very apparent very early on that this was something new.
I had a one to one mentor session with the incredible Russel de Carle and he said to me 'own up to it. Put your name to it and don't be afraid. You're writing your album now.’ It's equally terrifying and exciting.
We really have no idea! I had scored and composed the essence of the track during the residency with an idea for what would become the chorus.
Myself and Michael were in a relationship for years (he'll probably kill my for being so honest) and I'm glad and fulfilled to say we now have a great friendship. We've written about each other in various forms - some of it quite angry! - but never written something together. It felt - to me - like maybe we could do that now. Thankfully, Michael agreed, and now we have Song For You.
There will be an album launch on Saturday 6 October at Broadcast in Glasgow, followed by a small tour - 11 October, Manchester (as part of Indie Week UK), 12 October, London (Sebright Arms), 13 October, Brighton (The Hope and Ruin) and 20 October, Edinburgh (Leith Depot - special stripped back acoustic set).
I'm really excited that Jamie Sutherland from Broken Records will be joining me on al those dates (except Manchester) to play his forthcoming solo album. I'll also be doing a stripped back set at Aberfeldy Festival 2018 on 3 November.
I'm quite keen to gig this album as much as possible and have been working with a filmmaker called Ross Dickson on videos for a number of tracks on the album to release.
As well as that - I've already recorded half of what will be the follow up to this album, so I hope that I can spend the tail end of 2018 doing some more writing with a view to recording more tracks in the beginning of 2019 and finishing that album which I have been working on with producer Stephen Watkins.
Impossible Stuff launches on 6 October at Broadcast in Glasgow. It's released on Olive Grove Records.
