EP Focus: Charlie Lane

Answered by: Charlie Lane 

EP Title: Mood Swings & Anti Depressants

Label: Independent

In ten words or less, describe your sound. Alternative pop with a side of energetic soul and grunge.

Give us a brief history of the band (or you if a solo artist) to this point: Charlie Lane started in 2011. Finishing my Bachelor of Music & Performance I performed at the Cabaret Festival in 2013, as I started off doing mostly cabaret-esque shows. Now, I've swung in the pop/alternative direction, headlining shows and supporting Stopgap and Jawn from Singapore; I feel I'm in the right place.

Where did you record the EP and why? Who did you work with recording it? The gang and I recorded with Andy Shanahan at Secret Sound Studios. He had quite a few recommendations for the sound I was going for, and had worked with artists I had known. I wanted a much more lo-fi, raw EP - using Lindsay Chapman for editing helped this immensely.

Is there an overall theme to the songs on the EP, or did you just use whatever songs you had to make up the tracklisting? The overall theme of Mood swings & Anti Depressants is based on my own life experiences, from childhood to adulthood. I just wanted to show what a emotional roller coaster journey life is for a lot of us; through all the fighting, the rebelliousness, the love and loss.

Did you manage to roadtest any of the songs live before recording? Did that have an effect on them at all? In what way? I tested all songs before recording; at gigs and as acoustic duos. We agreed the songs needed trumpet. The brass sure as hell was needed. It's had a major effect in the overall sound. 

Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? In what way? There were a few things that inspired me; one massive inspiration for me is Daniel Johnston. He inspired the name of the EP and helped with the sound. However, so did people like Mark Ronson and Kimya Dawson. You could say it's a secret dedication to mental illness.

Do you aim for perfection in the studio, or more feeling or vibe when deciding to use a take? I don't believe in perfection; but I guess we already had set goals in mind so we all went in to achieve those. If a feeling or a vibe comes through during a take, that's just bonus points for me and the people I'm working with. It's exiting.

What's your favourite track on the EP and why? Tofu is my favourite song on this upcoming EP. I love it because the trumpet sounds so jazzy and exactly like it was in my head. It was like my brain to audio. It has elements of jazz, hip hop and pop. I really just enjoy its dynamics. 

When things aren't working what do you do to avoid recording? I've learnt that if I feel, and the band feels, that something's not working our gut instincts are right. We don't try to avoid recording the song, usually we'll try to rearrange or add elements to a track that make it sound the way it needed it to be.  

How will you recreate the tracks live? Stay true to them or is there room to mix it up? Recreating tracks live, although staying true to them can get expensive when I need different backing players, is still my favourite way of performing. The audience gets the experience we had making the tracks, which is fun, and at times ridiculous. However I'd happily do an acoustic version any day.

Did you only record recent tracks, or are there some older tracks to have made the cut on the EP? Two of the tracks are quite fresh, Tofu and Rebel (She Is). However writing lyrics is my main go to, so I have put in two older tracks that I dig, because one hasn't been recorded before and the other fit well with the theme, Brainstormer and Beez Neez.

Are you launching it with a gig? If so, what are the details?  23 Dec, The Retreat, free entry, 9pm.

Website link for more info? facebook.com/charlielaneband