A catch up with Jocie Adams of the Low Anthem

You last did an interview for us in July 2010. So briefly, what have the highlights been since? 

Wow... well there have been a lot! We played the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, which was the biggest audience that we have ever had by a long shot.  Our show at the Roundhouse was also pretty thrilling.  It’s hard to pick out the shows.  There are mostly moments on stage that are often euphoric yet ephemeral, when we really play together.  I've had many of those moments with my "solo" shows as well.  Music is wonderful.  

Your solo album is an absolute delight. Have you had it written for a long time or are the songs all new creations?

A couple were a year or so old but the rest were written in the 6 months prior to the recording process.  

Your voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Joanna Newsome, do you enjoy her work and who are your main musical influences today:

Joanna Newsome is a wonderful musician.  I learn something every time I listen to her records.  My main musical influences are kinda sprawling at the moment.  I owe a lot to Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Emmylou Harris, Joanna Newsome, Anais Mitchell, Stuart Bogie, Melanie, classical music on the whole, Ben, Mat and Jeff of course and Robin Ryczek who plays on my record and so much more that I can't even think of at the moment. 

What was the driving force behind making a solo record and can we expect the same from the rest of the Low Anthem?

Maybe!  Mat Davidson has gone on to work on his other projects, Twain and Spirit Family Reunion.  The driving force for me was, at the time, because I wanted to work with Robin and was having a bit of a dry spell with classical composition, so we decided to record my songs.  On top of that, I love to sing, I love to write songs, and I love to play with new musicians all the time.  My band has been functioning like a collective for the last couple of years.  Its been a lot of fun. 

Bed of Notions: where did the title come from?

The title comes from the lyrics of one of the first songs on the record. I don't have a good answer really, but just that it felt like it fit.  The record is a bit about finding your way when you are stuck in the mud, so to speak, so it worked well for me.  

I guess by now you must be exhausted after all the touring. The last message from the band intimated some upcoming down time, how do you plan to spend it, a solo tour by any chance?

I went on tour with The Barr Brothers last winter.  It was such a treat.  I will be playing March 1st, 4th and 5th in New England as well.  We haven't really had any time off yet.  We have been recording.  But, I am making sure to make time for some shows on my own.  It makes me stretch in different directions. 

We were trying to guess the instruments on your solo record, tell us about the instrument that you play with a bow onstage please.

Oh that old thing :)  Those are called the Crotales.  They are brass discs and make a pure tone that lingers forever if you let it!  I put some coins on the discs to function like sizzlers.   

Your shows with the Low Anthem seem to be getting bigger and bigger particularly at festivals. At Glastonbury and Green Man you played the main stages to vast crowds. Up at the back sometimes your more delicate songs can get lost, any thoughts on that?

Well, I think we are unsure as to how to deal with this problem.  We have been trying to fill out the quiet songs more for those settings, but it is a challenge to let a song breath in the same way when more frequencies are added to the mix.  Our next record will probably reflect this change quite a lot. 

How would you access the state of the music industry at home today, in good health or on a respirator?

Oy, I don't even want to get into that.  Its a mess! 

What was the Last book you read, movie seen and record listened to? Any recommendations?

Robert Belaño, The Savage Detectives.  A good one!

Jocie Adams; Bed of Notions  

Photo by David Andrako 

The Low Anthem play SXSW at ACL Live At The Moody Theater on Thr 15 March. The band also play No Direction Home and End of The Road festivals in the UK this summer.