Nashville's Lilly Hiatt is coming into her own as a singer/songwriter in a city brimming over with them. Still, as the daughter of the erstwhile John Hiatt, Lilly has truly cut her own swath with four dynamic albums featuring her unique style of Americana/Country/Rock.
Her latest New West release "Walking Proof" separates itself from the pack by combining Country storytelling with Rock swagger - while never going too much in one way or the other. These 11 songs are quite the tightrope act for Hiatt, who took a little time to take us behind her process and the album itself.
On this new record, it sounds like the writing came more organically as a lot of songs are largely situational. Are songs like "Rae" and "Drawl" the result of some kernel of an idea that you brought to life through building a composite?
I think so. Both are songs that zone in on a person. The main characters in each embody a lot of different elements of people I’ve met. But “Rae” took a lifetime to get to. “Drawl” took an evening.
There is an ease to "Walking Proof" that makes it differ from "Trinity Lane." You sound more confident and all of the songs are shaped to stand together individually but still fit together as a whole image. When you were writing, did you have albums that were inspiring you?
I did. I listen to music constantly! Neil Young and Aretha Franklin are on constant rotation. Hmmm, this band Daddy Issues, I listened to them so much when I was recording. I love their fuzzy sweet sound. Kacey Musgraves’ “Golden Hour,” Drive-By Truckers’ “American Band,” “The Chronic” is a constant exercise and driving companion. And Elliott Smith’s “Either/Or.”
You toured "Trinity" relentlessly. A lot of that blur of the road is reflected in your painterly lyrics. Were you collecting scraps and riffs while on the road? Do you find the road creatively inspiring?
Definitely. I see so much on the road, different places and people. One day you’re in Wisconsin on the Fox River, the next it’s Lake Shore Drive. Different vibes, ya know? City, country, and the most exciting thing to me is picking up on how the community relates to their surroundings. I love it all, east coast, west coast, middle America. Its a blast and a very colorful experience to live a life on the go like that. For someone like me, at least!
Are you already writing the next record? Do you the events of this year shaping it?
Haha, it’s funny to me that as soon as you put out one album, people start asking about the next! (No disrespect meant there, I’m honored actually). The thing for me is that right now my brain is focused on this record and getting out there with my band and playing the songs live the best we can when we can. I can’t really go beyond that at the moment. That being said, I have many unrecorded songs stashed away, a side project planned with a dear friend, and am always writing. I also have a good number of songs we have recorded but that didn’t make it onto records, and I would love to compile them into a B side album!
Finally, where did you first get the inclination to write songs? What was the song that you heard that made you want to pursue this path?
Weezer.
