Canadian indie-soul songstress Ann Vriend released her newest album, ‘For The People In The Mean Time’ last month.
In Australia for a series of shows during the next four weeks, Vriend tells tough tales of the struggle of city life against the backdrop of retro, soul beats and harmonies.
The new album, 'For The People In The Mean Time'; was it a fun recording process?
Oh boy. Yes and no. Let's just say I worked with a very fiery producer (Toronto producer Tino Zolfo) and though we are steadfast friends, we simultaneously had some passionate fights along the way – something I'd never experienced with a producer before. But it came from the place of caring very much about the same thing, which was the direction and quality of the album. The thing that was really not fun, actually, was how LONG the process was, which was two-and-a-half years, and not because we actually spent that long recording, but because of both of our busy schedules, and the fact that we live 4,000 kms away from each other. For me it meant a lot of trips to Toronto, but then I love Toronto and have a lot of friends there, so it was a twist my rubber arm scenario haha. It was a test of patience while also being a situation with periphery benefits let's just say.
What did you bring from your previous studio experiences to this recording project?
Oh man, a lot I guess. I've definitely been in the studio a lot, and with a lot of different producers, and also produced an album myself, so I guess what I brought was the realisation that everyone works differently, everyone has a different process, and you have to be patient and creative in how to work with that and get the best sounds and vision out of it. In the end producers are artists too, and while they're in the ‘music biz’, like any touring artist there is still this place they need to go outside of that to get real inspiration and authenticity one way or another. I guess you need to give people room to do that just the same way that you need to do that yourself, and preserve that.
The players you brought in; what did they bring/ add to the sonic palette?
Well, to be honest the album is mostly programmed, other than all the bass playing, which was done by the producer, Tino, and the singing, back-up singing, and almost all the keys by me. Other than that there was a drummer, Lyle Molzan, who played along with the loops on I think five of the songs, and he's fantastic – it really ‘beefed up’ the drums and added a human dynamic element to the hip hop style loops.
As an artist, how does this album capture Ann Vriend in 2014/ 15?
Wow, what a big question haha. I think it shows a side of me that loves old-school soul and R&B. On other albums I would hint at that on a song or two, but never really went for it fully – I love other styles too, of course. But for this album I realised I should focus on one thing at a time, so I took the plunge and went fully for the soul thing. But then on top of that, me and Tino created our own sound that on the one hand borrows heavily from old-school soul, but also is its own quirky thing at the same time. So I guess if I take a step back it was a time in my life where I didn't want to play it safe, was willing to shock or maybe even disappoint a few people, in the hopes of sharing this joy and love for a kind of music that has inspired me for so long in the hopes that that would be contagious and rub off on people.
You're headed to Australia for a series of shows… do you enjoy life on the road?
Most of the time. Like anything it has its pluses and minuses. It's a different thing than a vacation – you go to all these famous places where there's tourist attraction x, but all you do is check into a hotel, show up for soundcheck and a show, finally go home at the end of the night exhausted, and leave for the next place in the morning. So people are always saying: ‘oh, you're going to X. you have to check out x,y & z!’ But really there's rarely time or energy for that. So, I have a long list of places I'd like to go back to as a relaxed tourist on a vacation of places I've briefly seen out of a cab window. But on the other hand, it's no nine-to-five thing, it's pretty go-go-go, it's never boring, and I have seen amazing things and met amazing people... if I didn't feel like there were benefits, nearly ANY other job would be less chaotic and more stable haha. I guess in the end it's a great thing to be able to cobble together a living do something as cathartic as music for people, and for yourself. I can't imagine learning more in any other profession I could have chosen.
Any memories from your previous Oz visits that standout?
Oh boy, yes. I guess one would be when a surfer friend said I could stay in his surfer cabin on the scenic route between Melbourne and Sydney, and wrote out directions to me on a series of restaurant napkins. In the end, due to a few interruptions like hitting a massive wallaby with the car and things like that I lost the napkin with the last bit of directions of where this bloody shack actually was. By then it was the middle of the night, and I was out of mobile phone range. I was with a hitchhiker from Canada who I'm now friends with for life who happened to have a Swiss army knife on him, and we deduced that this one shack was my friend's cabin, but weren't sure, especially since we had to break in using the Swiss Army knife, and then once we got in there was this fist-sized huntsmen spider inside, which, as a Canadian, I am NOT used to seeing... and then when we got near Sydney the next day, within mobile phone range, we found out from my friend that we had definitely NOT stayed at his cabin at all, but an entirely different person's, due to the fact that NONE of the details about his cabin matched the one we'd stayed in, including that he'd actually left a key for us at his. So, it has now reduced to being called ‘The Wrong Shack’ story – I'm sure you could Google it and find out all the other glorious details haha.
Live, what can people expect from Ann Vriend on stage? Do you like to interact with the audience, tell them stories about the songs?
Not every song, but some, yes. I have had a lot of people say that that's one of the reasons they go to live shows versus just buying/ downloading music – it's what you get between the songs and in the off-hand stories that makes them strongly connect with the songs. I do like to interact; I have an idea of what I want to do in the show but if it goes another direction that seems in the moment like a better idea I go there, for better or for worse, haha. Especially in my banter, I am pretty comfortable with telling people what's really going through my mind and/ or what's happened to me that day, even if that's to damage my own ego.
The style that you have created (both musically and in general)… do you look to past eras for specific influences?
Definitely. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants after all. As musicians we create things but it all comes from our influences whether we're aware of it or not; from little things like vocal inflection, to lyric writing style, etc. No art comes out of a vacuum I don't think (we live in a world, musical included, and it affects us). My goal is to borrow the things that I like best from certain eras, and of course for this album I tried more or less – at least musically – to stick to the ‘70s soul era: Motown, funk like Sly Stone and the Meters, Muscle Shoals, that I love. But combine it with things from now, observations from now, lyrics that come from my own experience, etc.
Soul music in the 21st Century… do you sense the mainstream is returning to the genre, giving it a rebirth similar to what happened in the '50s and & '60s?
That is a really good question. Definitely the success of artists like Amy Winehouse and Adele and even people like Bruno Mars seem to indicate that I'm not the only one who loves old-school soul. I guess, much like jazz and gospel music, soul has evolved far beyond those decades, as any vibrant and alive genre would. But I think it has gotten less and less accessible in some ways, like modern jazz, and not as centered on simple melodies, and so I think that's why it was a big breath of fresh air when Adele, Amy, etc. brought us back to soul music's heyday.
The filming for the 'Those Records' film clip must've been fun? Did you enjoy smashing all those records? Hahaha. You know, a lot of people have messaged me with concern about that. But as a vinyl collector myself believe me I definitely checked what records they were before destroying a whole box of them, over the course of the shoot. Although what I think is good or not good is of course subjective... but let's just say I think there was a good reason the whole entire box was only $5 ;)
On the fashion front, do you have a cool collection of retro tees? I like the shirt you were wearing on the 'Rush Of Your Wings' clip.
Ha! I wish. Not a ton. I need more time for vintage shopping. But I've got a few.
Tell us a little about the Edmonton music scene?
Well... there are actually a lot of musicians in Edmonton. The music school I went to cranks out graduates every year, many of who stay, and there are just so many bands and that kind of thing, of all genres really, and some of them really good. But the general public aren't really involved in that; they'll go to see a really huge name like U2 when they come to town, but would never come to see a local band in a million years, would never even know where to find it. So, we have a long way to go with connecting the general public to the music scene. There are diehard supporters, thank god, but we need more of them before I could tell you there was a ‘thriving scene’. There are some exciting things on the horizon though – I am waiting to see how they pan out. There is definitely potential, there just needs to be a few other ingredients added I think.
Stereotype question ahead: being Canadian, are you a hockey fan? An Oilers fan?
Oh man, now you've really opened a can of worms haha. I am a fan but not nearly as fanatical as many. It's an entertaining, fast-paced sport – and the only one I grew up watching – so I actually understand what's going on, so I like it. But I learned long ago not to get too wrapped up in if your team wins or loses... basically, our team has been at the very bottom for an embarrassingly long time – like, it's really out of hand how bad it is. So, I keep my distance for reasons of emotional self-preservation ;)
Ann Vriend Tour Dates
Sun 1 Feb - Brisbane Jazz Club FriFri 6 Feb - Mothers Milk (Sawtell, NSW)
Sun 8 Feb - Ellington Jazz Club (Perth)
Thu 12 Feb - Paris Cat (Melbourne)
Fri 13 Feb - Community Garden Soiree (Dodges Ferry, Tasmania)
Sat 14 Feb - Mountain Mumma (Sheffield, Tasmania)
Thu 19 Feb - Camelot Lounge (Sydney)
Fri 20 Feb - Smiths Alternative (Canberra)
Fri 27 Feb - Cobargo Folk Festival (Cobargo, NSW)
