My Third Ever Substack!

Life update from France

Hello Team,

I hope this Substack finds you all well! As I’m writing this I’m on a break from recording in France for a something I’m very excited to talk more about, so I’ll talk some more about it…

I’ve been here working on a new project created by myself and my friend, the endlessly talented May Payne. I first met May in September of last year at a songwriting circle event. She played us a, then unreleased, song of hers called Something Else, a song about gender identity and place in the world. When she first sang the lines

Tell me what I sound like

I hate the way I sing and scream and speak.

Tell me what I taste like,

Not even in a weird way, I really hope you eat me

Like those guys in the Andes

I’m Wiki-surfing, head glued to my phone.

I instantly fell in love with her writing. When she gave me a lift home that evening, we spoke about how we both struggle with writing and collaborating with other people, and the pressure of ‘session culture’ amongst songwriters in London. Fast-forward a few weeks and we both find ourselves in Wales, hosted by our friend Edie Bens, for a writers retreat organised by my good friend and manager Christian Sayers.

In this retreat, we had an exercise where we would break off into pairs and try to write anything together in 17 minutes, with small lyrical cues. In one of these exercises, May and I ended up writing an entire song. This song came absolutely flowing out, and we knew in the moment it was something special. Most importantly, we knew we waned to overcome the fears and worries we discussed on a drive back to London the month prior, and continue writing.

And here we are in present day, secluded in the middle of the French countryside, bellies full of cheese, charcuterie and wine, recording the product of our collaboration over the last seven-or-so months. With us is friend, sage and producer, none other than the mighty Sean Rogan. I mentioned Sean in my previous Substack, paraphrasing his opinions on the importance of Adrianne Lenker’s Live at Revolution Hall: where he stressed the importance of performance and moment over quality of recording. Needless to say, this has been very much on our minds this trip, and our intention recording has definitely been driven by Sean and his love for this creative philosophy. It’s safe to say I haven’t been so excited about a project I’ve been involved with in a long time.

I won’t say much more about our process and the writing until it feels a bit more appropriate, but just know we are all excited to share what we’ve been doing here.

Listening-wise, it’s been a month of discovery for me! So here’s what I’ve been enjoying lately. There will be a playlist of songs mentioned here at the end!

Bill Fay - Time Of The Last Persecution (1971)

Yeah I’m about 50 years late to Bill Fay, the cult hero that we lost this year. I’m sad I never got to appreciate his music when I knew he was still with us in the world, But that’s okay, we’re supposed to discover things when we do.

This album is nothing short of blissful. To me, it feels like such pure writing and moment captured in song. Funnily enough, Fay was dropped by his label after the release of this album, and it wasn’t reissued until decades later.

He manages to capture his laments, loves and worries so perfectly. Bill on piano, accompanied live by a small band, manage to capture these perfect little moments in time.

Some say messiah coming
Got to get it right
Some say messiah coming
Give me back my time
All my time is lying
On the factory floor
And all my time is lying
On the factory floor

The arrangements with Fay’s voice are so sensitive and yet so thrilling. This is great music!

Standout tracks: I Hear You Calling and Tell It Like It Is.

Geese - 3D Country (2023)

Last time, I spoke about my discovery and love for Cameron Winter’s solo album, Heavy Metal, well here’s the other side to that story.

Winter as the frontman for Geese delivers, in my opinion, the energy and chaos of one of the most exciting (relatively new) bands of the moment.

In short, this album is absolutely bonkers. The ever-transforming vocal delivery, combined with the production of this album. On first listen, you are thrown curveball after curveball. I think what I really love about this album is how wonderfully unpretentious it is, and how much fun I have listening to it every time. Guys, rock music should absolutely be fun to listen to! This dynamic, campy and epic record feels like a real statement piece.

Long live the rock and roll band!

Standout tracks: I See Myself, Gravity Blues and Domoto.

Frog - 1000 Variations on the Same Song

This I’ve discovered on our trip here to France, by recommendation of Sean.

I guess the theme of these three albums I’m talking about here is music I’ve just had fun listening to. This record probably tops that list in terms of how effortlessly enjoyable it is. Again, I’ll use the word unpretentious. These guys are just making fun music that just so happens to be really, really good.

The production on this album feels so considered and natural to what they’re trying to achieve. I think I’m especially drawn to this live-sounding bandy music at the moment. Maybe because right now lots of things seem overcooked, and the world in general is feeling more and more scary and dark (cliché as that may be), so I look for the feeling that listening to a group of people having a good creative time gives me.

This quasi-concept album seems to draws inspiration from the 90s and 2000s scene of indie rock as well as hints of the folk-rock pioneers of the 60s Laurel Canyon era.

Standout tracks: STILLWELL THEME, TOP OF THE POPS VAR. I, MIXTAPE LINER NOTES VAR VII

Now, a bit of housekeeping before the end, I’ll be supporting Benjamin Amaru at the Camden Assembly this coming Wednesday the 14th of May. Do come along and bring your friends! You can get your tickets here.

Here’s the playlist including the standout tracks from this newsletter:

Thanks for reading everybody! I’m really enjoying discovering how writing these best suits me. Love to all of you.

Luca