Fans may be used to Carlile's versatility. Her musical palette has always included country, rock, folk, pop and gospel — often heard within the space of just one song -- but the handclaps and bright background vocals on "Bear Creek" are another story. Her latest endeavor is decidedly upbeat.
Q: A lot of [lyrics] on the new album seem like they are from a kid's point of view. Is there a child that you were thinking of when you were writing the songs?
A: In general, I think me and the twins sort of have a childlike essence about us. We don't have regular lives or regular jobs and when we get days off we do childish things—jump in the lake and go fishing and try to find frogs and we go to Disneyland. We like to ride roller coasters. There's a part of us that's really in touch with that because in some ways we haven't exactly had to grow up and act like we're adults. You ever read the book “The Little Prince?” I love that book. But, it sort of speaks to that mentality. I turned 30 when we were writing the album and I think all of us do generalize, where we're kind of finding ways to bring that sort of childlike essence into our adult lives. Those kinds of things are coming out in our songwriting, for sure.
Q: Between the last studio album and this album, was there something you were thinking you wanted to try or do differently on the new album?
A: Not consciously, but in retrospect I could see how that happens. Our first three albums on a major label were all sort of in this pressure cooker of an industry, like when you're in school or you're starting a new job for the first time, you're just learning a lot of hard lessons and you're trying things that are difficult. There's this labored feeling — our records definitely aren't labored in a negative way. But I do feel like this record was free of any of that, just because of the absence of a producer and the fact that we recorded it in a town where there is no industry. It just felt very free and raucous and fun and despite the somber connotations that are attached to the songs in the lyrics, there is an element of fun. Maybe that was where some of this childlike essence is coming from.
Q: My son is 5. My wife was talking to him about singers and she told him there are stars and legends. He wanted me to ask, when are you going to be a legend?
A: I want to know the same thing. I think I would have to be at least 60 years old to be a legend. You have to earn that title.
Q: I'm thinking about “Just Kids” on the latest record. That keyboard-based, atmospheric song sounds very different from the other songs on the album. I can picture that song on an experimental electronic album.
A: Yeah, yeah. I love that song.
Q: But when you turn something like that in, do they look at you like, “Hmmm, where's the acoustic guitar?”
A: If you give 'em three to work with they let you kinda go crazy on the rest of the record.
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