Lovina Falls On the Making Of ‘Would That It Were’
How did you come up with the theme?
We are living in a time of change, protest, and escapism. The songs on ‘Would That It Were’ were written in response to these uncertainties. All share a similar theme; they are songs of escape, of strength amongst destruction, and the battle between good and evil. They are all about wishing something were different. ‘Would That It Were’ seemed a fitting title - a kind of lyrical “If only.”
How did you approach the arrangement and composition of the music for 'Would That It Were?'
Writing for me is a process of trial and error and wandering around to see what happens. I was trained as a classical vocalist and pianist, but often begin a song with a sound and press record to see where things lead. It could be a piano, a musical saw, or a truck backing up – it’s really about instinct and opportunity and what’s on hand at any given time. For example, the single, Light and Low started on a harpsichord. In general, it’s a bit of alchemy, and all about how things support one another as opposed to how each can stand out. You might say it’s a sort of metaphor for my ideal world.
The process is the best part – carefully making each individual brick to construct a house. Of course, there are easier and more efficient ways to build something – but the experience of creation is what makes it so exciting. The other day I was telling our keyboardist how I used a violin bow, a bass, a distortion pedal, and an envelope filter to come up with 2.3 seconds of a particular sound I was looking for on “In the Corner, A Fire”. She looked at me and said, “I so very much respect your process, but you do know that would’ve taken about 2 minutes on the synth instead of 3 hours?”
Which song(s) from 'Would That It Were' do you think best represents your artistic vision?
As a synesthetic, music is not only an auditory experience, but a visual one as well; I can see where sounds exist in space. Songwriting is a way for me to connect these dots of unconsciousness to form thoughts, melodies, and ideas. As such, each song is literally a different vision-so I suppose the answer is all of them in their own way, with the exception of “In the Corner, A Fire.” That was just fun as heck to write.
How did your band members initially come together?
The EP, ‘Would That It Were’ and the previous album, ‘Calculating the Angle of Our Descent’, were solo endeavors. I wrote the music myself and performed most of it in the studio. However, there were moments when I needed more power and expertise to bring the sound to life. Fortunately, I had played with many amazing musicians over the years, [including three members from my previous band, Mistle Thrush], who were available to add a stronger rhythm section to a few of the tracks. Fast forward a few months after the first release, and the urge to perform the songs became overwhelming. So I reached out to some of the same musicians, as well as a few others from previous musical projects, to see if there was any interest in reimagining the songs for live performance. Once we started playing together, the connection was incredible-it was as if I had written the outline for a story, and these wonderful humans came in to flesh out the characters, bring the scenery to life, and complete the narrative. Now, the songs have multiple lives-so you can hear it one way, and experience it another in a live setting.
What role do you feel emotions play in your music, and how do you channel them into your performances?
Emotion plays a pivotal role, as both the driving force behind creation and performance itself. When I write, the combination of notes actually evokes emotion, from which comes the song. If it connects right away, it flows naturally. If it doesn’t, I’ll leave it where I found it and move on.
As for performance, I unintentionally became immersed in the song. Things could be happening around me, and I am none the wiser. It’s not unusual for me to completely forget I’m on stage when we play live. I’m just there with people I adore, creating a new reality for a minute, hoping others in the room will join us in this other world. If I can create a moment in time where someone listening does not feel worry, fear, or anger, and is just enjoying “being”, I have done what I set out to do.
