I was so excited at the end of January, you may have heard me talk about it on the podcast doco thing a few weeks back, when I had 8 song ideas in 27 minutes.
Well these haven’t turned into songs like I hoped, so I did some reflecting.
When I was writing “The Soundtrack of Our Lives”, I was concentrating on the importance of a cohesive narrative and a structured approach to songwriting. Drawing inspiration from one of my favourite albums, "Life in Slow Motion" by David Gray, I sought to recreate that magic by infusing my music with a tighter structure and a compelling storyline.
Making the album was so much fun and I was so pleased with the results I figured I’d do it the same way for album #3, however…
In the solitude of my studio, I found myself stuck, relying on the same old routine of writing chords, bashing pre-written lyrics into place, and drawing from familiar influences. It was comfortable, yes, but it lacked the spark of inspiration I craved.
Then, an epiphany, I needed to search for music that I like but have listened very little to. My Last.FM listening stats (compiled since 2006!) came in handy here, I scanned my most played artists for something that wasn’t a bloke with a guitar writing alt country / acoustic / adult contemporary songs.
Shockingly, the first female on that list was at #129 (Thelma Plum) and after that #150 (Angie McMahon). If I was going to free my creative brain from this malaise, I was going to need a different input, and this is where it started. I was brainstorming female songwriters with a penchant for poignant lyrics and Joni Mitchell came to mind - and while she’s not on Spotify, there’s a “Joni Mitchell Radio” which pointed me towards Tori Amos - I was off and running (I eventually conquered my laziness and got some Joni from YouTube).
The moment when chaos truly disrupted my orderly world came during this week-long immersion in the music of Amos and then Regina Spektor, great songwriters who have such a different approach to mine, combined with a deep dive detour into advanced theories of harmony via a Jazz channel on Instagram that, kind of, broke my brain. It shook things up so much that ideas, not necessarily great, but creative, poured out.
As I dove deeper into this world, something incredible happened. The chaos of my creative approach began to yield results. I discovered a freedom in my music, unshackled from the constraints of my trusty old ways. Each session in the studio has brought new discoveries, new ideas, and new directions to explore.
I feel myself growing as a songwriter. Embracing the joy of spontaneity, letting go and allowing the music to take me where it pleases. Chaos, it seems, has been the much needed catalyst for something truly rewarding—a positive outcome born from disruption and disorder.
Oh, and I finished 4 new songs this week. And this time, I actually like them.